Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!”

Psalm 95:2 (AMPC).

One of the greatest gifts God has given us is family.  These are the people who share our lived experience. They are the people who ‘get us’, often resemble us, and in most cases, care deeply for us. These close relatives share memories with us and get our inside jokes.  They laugh and celebrate with us when we excel, and weep with us when we are in trouble or pain.

 Yet sadly, as we contemplate Thanksgiving, we are reminded again, just how often we take family members for granted.  We do not call or visit them as often as we should, and by the time we feel the urge to do so, it is because they are sick or dying.  In addition, we are emerging and recovering from a brutal election season that fractured many families and where I in 6 (Gallup poll) no longer speaks to a family member but family is our greatest gift and our strongest currency, and God calls us to steward these relationships faithfully, comparing those who do not do so to unbelievers (1 Timothy 5:8).

Thanksgiving is a time to heal.  It is a time to give thanks as the pilgrims did, for a journey that was arduous and painful but ended in gratitude in the new land they had found. The Psalmist says: “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!” (Psalm 95:2 (AMPC). As we face an uncertain future, which will certainly be arduous and painful, it is time to reconnect and strengthen these bonds that bind.  It is time to fortify our families and our communities. It is time to come before God’s presence with thanksgiving, and it is time to make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise.  It is time to join arms together once again and embrace the hope that there will be a brighter day when families can once again be together in harmony.

Healing journeys can be difficult, and exhausting, but we have a helper, the Holy Spirit, to guide and strengthen us as we reach out to one another. So, this week, let us give God our thanks for family, and especially for those who have drifted away and then let us keep the light on, (love, empathy, forgiveness...) so that they can all find their way home. AMEN.