CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - The month of November ushers in a host of special days – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. What I want to direct your attention to is Thanksgiving Sunday!

Thanksgiving Sunday is the Sunday prior to the national holiday of Thanksgiving. This Sunday ought to be right up there with Christmas Eve and Easter in your family’s plans to attend your church or faith community. I will use Psalm 66 to give you a few reasons why that should be so.

The Psalmist closes his poem with these words of praise and thanksgiving. “Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me!”

How did this composer come to that frame of mind and heart? Let’s find the reasons in the stanzas prior to this grateful conclusion.

In verse 9 he cites the first reason. “Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.” The psalmist is challenging us to reflect upon the past both distant and recent to see if we can identify the rescuing intervention of supernatural power in our lives. How many miles did you drive in this past year without an accident? Or close calls, that put a lump in your throat, but nothing bad happened? Could those moments be evidence of supernatural intervention? If so, you have a reason to be thankful.

In verses 10-12 the poet writes about testing times; hard times; times of confinement or restriction like imprisonment; times of excessive burden or oppression. He looks back to a very tough season of life “we went through fire and water.” Many Californians know literally what going through fire means with all the recent wildfires. Many Texans and Southern dwellers know what devastating flooding does to individuals and communities. These phrases could also be metaphors for any intense season of suffering.

But the good news comes in these praise worthy words: “But YOU brought us to a place of abundance.” V12b. The season of suffering and destruction is over! Rescue and recovery and restoration has now taken place! Life has returned to a new normal with a new sense of well-being and purpose. What was lost is now replaced with even more than before. It’s time to give thanks!

These are the two reasons the psalmist will “come to the temple” v 13. There with the community of faith this poet will “fulfill the vows my lips promised when I was in trouble.”v14. Many people make promises to God when in the midst of suffering and trouble. Thanksgiving Sunday is a great day to make good on them!

The Psalmist shows up at the temple and gives public testimony of thanksgiving to His God with this universal invitation. V16 “Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what HE has done for me.”

Rescue, recovery, restoration demands public testimony. What better time and place to shout out your praise and thanksgiving to your God than with your faith community on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 24^th!

Reverend Richard Reimer, Lead Pastor
American River Community Church
3300 Walnut Avenue ® Carmichael, CA
916-483-3465, Facebook.com/ARCConline