Thanksgiving week & Serving God in the Hard Times

 Pre-Thanksgiving.  Serving God in the Hard Times

Luke 17:10-19

The theme that runs through the lessons appointed for

today's study and meditation is one of a question. We must all deal with it,. Some of us have not dealt with it very

well. And others see how we react. The questions relate

is "How do we serve God/love God/ in the hard times?" My

theology professor used to say that God does not give

Christians any easier life in this life or all would see the temporary benefits and become Chrislians. NO---God is

calling us in grace and love to serve Him, not because we

can get something, but because of Who He is. He is worthy of our love and worship.

C.S.Lewis said there are two kinds of people: those who say to God " Thy will be done " and those to whom God says" A11 right then, have it your way." Do you see the difference? we talk a lot today about self esteem and how

we feel. I would propose that if we do not put God first

and our spiritual relationship to Him, then we will find

ourselves with an attitude of " how could this happen to me? I thought God loved me. self esteem is good and well

as long as it starts with God and ends with me. or do we real-ly trust God to do the best for us despite what we see

happening to us and what goes on around us.

Ruth and Naomi knew what it was to endure hard times.

Naomi goes to live in a country far away from Bethlehem in the country of Moab. Her husband Elimelech, and their

sons Mahlon & Chilon go to Moab with her. There was a famine in the land. Naomi becomes a widow because

El-imel-ech dies. I read the papers and it is happening still. A young widow is not uncommon these days either.

our neighbor when I was stationed at Fort, ord back in 1990, our neighbor

was a helicopter pilot. one day I received a call. It was the Garrison chaplain. Your neighbor has died at NTC in night ops. can you help talk to the widow? I still have a vivid memory of him playing with his younq son outside.

Naomi's two sons marry. One was named Orpah, the other

was named Ruth. Then we are told in vs. 5 that both Mahlon

and Chilion , the two young husbands die. Naomi decides to return home back to Bethlehem of Judah. Naomi decides to go back alone. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. And like a line out of ,'Gone with the wind", Ruth says : " Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go, And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die,

And there I will- be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me. " WHAT A FAITH. Here is an unbel_iever, a Moabite, who became a

believer, obviously, who reaches down into the depths of her

heart, and says,"NO I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU." It is a

statement that, could only have been penned and said by God's

Grace.

And how do we deal with the hard things and the hard times in life? They say the same sun that hardens the stuff that bricks are made of melts butter. Look at your hearts. God is asking, " How much do you love me?" Or do you love me for what I give you? Where is your trust really?

Phillips Brooks , that great Anglican preacher of the 1800's in Boston and Philadelphia ( who wrote the words to " O little town of Bethlehem" when he was rector of Holy Trinity church in Philadelphia said, " You must learn, you must let God teach you, that the only way to get rid of your past is to make a future out of it. GOD WILL WASTE NOTHING." " Take the past and build on it. No---nothing is ever wasted. All the failure, the heartache, the loss , and the disappointment, God says, ' Let me teach you. Make a future out of it. And the it is the past. That includes all of it. ' "

There were ten lepers, a condition one can hardly describe as easy. And yet the Gospel account tells us that there is something that only one of the ten cleansed lepers found. Only one according to Jesus gave glory to God in giving thanks. " Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." Only one, and that one is a Samaritan, a foreigner found true healing. Healing then is not just our health or what we possess. It is first a bowing of the knee in the presence of God and Jesus to say, " thanks." Who here today can say thank you to God? Can you say it to Him now and today despite the things you never received? Thanksgiving Day coming soon is a painful reminder of things never gained, things lost, and loneliness. Nov 1, All Saints' Day brings to mind those who have died that we wish were still with us. People ask why? Christianity teaches us that we can not always answer the WHY questions because the answer is with God, and we are not God and do not know. Jesus taught that, even in the midst of those things we cannot understand, God is in charge. " God is good. God loves us and there can be a good future for us." REV Allen Hinman, Rector, ST John's Church, Passaic, New Jersey.

Lastly, the Apostle Paul sums it up as Paul usually does so well--2 Timothy 2:3-15 : " You , therefore must endure hardship as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ." Soldiers know this. Being a Soldier is a training for that ultimate sacrifice. It is not easy. War is not glamorous or fun. It is about long boring nights away from home, family. Have you ever served someone else? It is not always fun. It is about long road marches in the rain, and all night shifts that do not pay overtime. " No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted his as a Soldier."

This is a faithful saying, " If we endure, we shall also reign with HIm." I end with the question I began with today, " what do hardship is part of your faith?" Do the hardships make you stronger or have you given up? I will close with an illustration which is true. My uncle had a friend whose 18 year old daughter was killed in a car accident. No could find the right thing to say. My uncle asked his father who wrote him back this," Where was God when your daughter died? He was in the same place when His Son died for you and I on the Cross. That is where He was." That was the only thing that helped.

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.   Collect /Prayer for Thanksgiving Day.