It’s seasonal.

'Nothing lasts forever’ has become a deeply meaningful phrase for me. I even bought a little sign—maybe you’ve seen it on my shelf—to remind myself. Storms don’t last forever. But, when we’re in the storm it’s a different story. The intensity of survival training can be so overwhelming. That’s what I call discipleship—survival training. Disciples become like their leader. In order to survive, I have to become so much like Jesus that I become good at practicing resurrection. Don’t kid yourself…transformation is very hard work. Becoming something you’re not through the handiwork of God is painful, confusing and death defying. Practice. Practice. Practice. Discipleship isn’t watching a video, reading a book, answering the questions and talking about it. There’s nothing more arrogant in my book, than an ungrateful Christ follower. They sit back, fold their arms when they’re at the Table and smugly ask, “What have you done for me lately, God?” Oh man.

Promise me that you will never get to that point in your Christianity.

God has something to say about how He expects you to act. He knows our proclivity to forget. So, gratefulness became part of the practice for the People of God. Being thankful takes practice and determination. I would even challenge you to consider it your vow. Yes, a vow. Something to keep you tethered to God even when the storms are raging, even when there isn’t enough bread on the table, even when you’re standing at the graveside of something beloved. Do not fold your arms, sit back in your chair when you’re at the Table and smuggle ask, “What have you done for me lately, God?”

God’s Graduation Talk.

I think Moses wrote Deuteronomy 8 with me in mind. Maybe you’ll recognize the message in it too. Moses saw God face to face and now Moses was giving God’s commands to the People after a difficult time of instruction in their history. Not a difficult day, week, season or year—a very difficult season of transformation. Think about this for a moment. Have you come through a difficult season of transformation as a parent, child or colleague? What I mean is have you reached graduation? Graduation only happens a few times in our lives. High school graduation requires twelve years, college graduation requires at least four years and anything beyond that point requires more years. But, there is a moment in time, when you walk across the stage, shake someone’s hand and receive a piece of paper. Always check to see that your diploma is signed.

Consider the Ten Commandments and all that God says to the Israelites as a graduation speech in Deuteronomy. They sat in their chairs reminiscing about what they had been through during the instructive Wilderness years which required them to be humbled. That time was a season of instruction and discipleship and death. I think there was a temptation to fold their arms, sit back in their chairs and believe they earned what they were about to receive. The Wilderness years belonged to the People of Israel as their story to tell—it was their season of transformation and now God was about to shake their hands and allow them to proceed into the Promised Land. The People had the scars and stories to tell. It was time to switch the tassel and throw their graduation caps into the air…they finally made it.

Read through Deuteronomy as a graduation speech. But, pay special attention to Deuteronomy 8. ‘Do Not Forget the Lord’ is the title of this section—one point that God did not want His people to overlook. Forgetting is what we do naturally. Thankfulness is not natural. We have to be carefully taught. We have to practice thankfulness. We have to focus on God. I would suggest that you make a vow to become more thankful, grateful and satisfied. God’s intention is for us to matriculate but when we graduate is up to us. There is the possibility of receiving a diploma at the end. Make sure you check to see that your diploma is signed. You may discover your name is inscribed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. So, be careful to be thankful, grateful and satisfied when you walk across the stage at your final graduation ceremony and arrive at the Table. It wasn’t you that got you to the Table—no matter how hard you think you worked to get there. You never earned it. You never deserved it. You received it. So, unfold your arms, sit your chair down on all four legs, bow your head…and be thankful.

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors. Deuteronomy 8:1

Happy Thanksgiving,

Pastor Jen