GIVING THANKS in the HARD PLACES

 

“The thankful heart sees the best part of every situation. 

It sees problems and weaknesses as opportunities, 

struggles as refining tools, 

and sinners as saints in progress.” 

October 10, 2024

Psalm 100:4

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

 

 Luke 22:14-20

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷ After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸ For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹ And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁰ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

 

 

On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus had a vivid awareness of the events that were to unfold in mere hours, yet He approached His passion with grace. He looked forward to His final meal with His disciples, those who had journeyed with Him for three years. It's noteworthy that Jesus included even His betrayer in this gathering. He was fully aware of the physical strain, the Roman soldiers' brutality, and the overwhelming mockery, rejection, and isolation He would face. He understood the profound significance of His blood being shed.  Despite this knowledge, Jesus chose to spend some of His final hours celebrating Passover with His disciples. Ponder on that for a moment. 

The Passover meal with its various elements and meanings was a foreshadow of what He would have to fulfill on the cross.  He would be the lamb led to the slaughter, His innocent blood would open the door to deliverance for many. Jesus had summarized his task when he said, “the Son of Man came not be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus shared the last supper with the ones He loved, the ones he had been teaching and training, and He begins the meal by giving thanks. In this moment He disclosed to the  disciples that his body would be broken just like He broke the bread in the Passover meal, and His blood would be poured out just like the wine was poured out into the goblets at the Passover table, for the new covenant to take place.

“The New Covenant in his blood,” he would say.  Jesus gave thanks before his suffering, and even if for a slight moment, He hoped it would pass from Him, “let this cup (of Suffering) pass from me” Jesus prayed. He understood the price for humankind’s salvation and yielded to His Father's will. Remember, “not my will but yours be done.” Thanksgiving may not take away life's challenges, but it does strengthen our ability to persevere through them.

Maybe you are in a place today that is draining your strength, and you feel like giving up, perhaps you feel as though you can not fight to keep going anymore. Consider  Jesus and His endurance; observe how He embraced His trials, not with a desire to escape them, but with grace and gratitude he faced His "hour". He understood that through His submission, He fulfilled His Father's will. 

Even if it's difficult to feel grateful for the challenges and circumstances you're facing right now, consider praying something like this: "Thank you, God, for your wisdom and understanding of my situation. I choose to trust in you, just as Jesus did, for your will to be done."

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 Philippians 4:6-7