What If God ...?

11-23-2020

By Brenda Pogue

Thanksgiving signifies the beginning of the great holiday season. Thanksgiving turkey on Thursday, shopping the next day on Black Friday, as a lead-in and countdown to Christmas and a new year. These are our rituals, and we love them. As the song goes, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

The Thanksgiving season, for many, will be different this year. At a time normally approached with anticipation and excitement for the gathering of family and friends, many will be apart. Confined to separate spaces, the dinner tables, once expanded to accommodate large family get-togethers will be set for only one or two. The communal activity of preparing the festive meal may now become simply unpacking the containers from takeout or delivery bags. Some will have Thanksgiving meetings via zoom. It is the best that the moment will allow.

Thank God for that.

Still others will take the risk to gather together despite what others caution. For them, it may be more important than ever before that the Thanksgiving tradition continues, come what may. Normality is the order of the day. After all, tomorrow is not promised anyway. They take their chances while the chances can be taken.

Thank God for that.

This year, Thanksgiving will be different. But what if God, this year, is at the table in the stead of those who could not be? What a truly joyous occasion to have Jesus bless the table! What thanks will we give when Jesus breaks the bread? What utterances will be spoken when the cup of wine is raised?

While this Thanksgiving will be different, let us image what a difference it will make to have God at the table! And, then, let us truly give thanks.

Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash