Do We Truly Give Thanks?Now that the holidays are over and we are approaching Lent, our focus is on the budget and we must contemplate what we can accomplish with our building - renovation project. Our project has been put out to bid, and the bids have returned higher than was anticipated. I believe it is an appropriate time to think about thanksgiving (small case "t"). I do not mean the holiday, but rather the thanks we have for all that God has done for us. Personally, I would like to relay to each of you how I came to be among you and my thanks to God. After nearly ten years of enduring the foul moods of my division manager at work in Chelmsford, MA, a little voice said to me one morning "call your agent in Washington." I called George, my agent, and within two weeks, I had two firm job offers here. Never had I thought about looking for work here. I am originally from Virginia. So I gave notice, packed and moved from NH to Alexandria where I knew absolutely no one. To my great joy and relief, my current employer has been as good as the other was bad – not to mention that the move was financially quite advantageous. One afternoon after I had been here a few months, I met Bill Riggs during a casual conversation about politics. After awhile, the talk turned to work, and I learned that he was the office manager for a Lutheran Church. This intrigued me since I had attended a Lutheran church on occasion since college, but had not been actively involved in many years believing that churches were not interested in single men like myself. You know, we old goats are usually trouble one way or another. Nevertheless, a hand written invitation from Pastor Cox arrived the next week. I thought if she could take the time to write an invitation that I could take the time to visit. So I went the next Sunday. Her sermon was: “You don’t choose Augustana, it is chosen for you”. Well, you cannot argue with that. If this isn’t the hand of God, what possibly could be? I started attending the new membership classes that very day. That evening at my first class, I was given the offering envelopes. When I went home, I made a commitment to give back to God a portion of my income each week in recognition of the wonderful thing He had done for me. Nearly forty years to the day that my family left Virginia, I returned. In many ways, it has been the Promised Land. God delivered me from a situation that caused me great consternation and gave me something very sweet in return. After swallowing bitter pills for longer than I care to recall, I am more contented now than I've ever been in my entire life! However, one should not mistake giving thanks to God as an insurance policy. Because God gives us free will, we know that Satan has free reign in this world. That's why bad things happen to good people. All things good come from God and the scriptures tell us that you cannot out-give God (please read Malachi 3:8-10). I know that is true. So as we think about Lentent discipline and sacrifice, let us ask ourselves what kind of disciple of Christ are we? Do we truly give thanks at the Great Thanksgiving for the grace that is God’s present to each of us … the sacrifice of His only Son. Jesus Christ for our redemption? Giving to God can be accomplished many ways. We have a mission here at Augustana that needs the support of each of us, and giving to our church is a good place to start. The scriptures tell us that where our treasure is, there shall our hearts be also. Isn't the church part of our treasure? I am certain it is. Let us search our hearts, and our wallets and agree to give God thanks and support work through the mission of Augustana Lutheran Church with our time, our talents and our resources. Amen. Yours in Christ, |
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Augustana Lutheran
Church Church Office
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office
phone: 202-234-5315
voicemail: 202-234-5312 fax: 202-234-5724 email: office@augustanadc.info pastor@augustanadc.info theaugustanan@augustanadc.info |
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Updated:
March 21, 2004
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