Getting Ready For The Feast

Getting Ready for the Feast

By Pastor Jim May

We are entering the season of the year when all of us are preparing for our Thanksgiving Feast. The stores will be packed and the shelves will be empty of all things necessary for preparation of the feast. I’ve got mine; I hope you have yours. One more old Tom Turkey will be deep fried this week, and there won’t be much of him left when it’s all said and done.

I was reading the other day and came across this little story that I think you will enjoy. Almost everybody I know will be cooking a turkey this week, so listen to this story and learn how not to stuff that bird before popping it in the oven.

The turkey shot out of the oven,

And rocketed into the air.

It knocked every plate off the table,

And partly demolished a chair.

It ricocheted into a corner

And burst with a deafening boom.

Then splattered all over the kitchen,

Completely obscuring the room.

It stuck to the walls and the windows.

It totally coated the floor.

There was turkey attached to the ceiling,

Where there’d never been turkey before.

It blanketed every appliance.

It smeared every saucer and bowl.

There was no way I could stop it.

That turkey was out of control!

I scraped and I scrubbed with displeasure,

And thought with chagrin as I mopped,

That I’d never again stuff a turkey

With popcorn that hadn’t been popped.

It sounds to me like somebody needed a new recipe!

Regardless of how your turkey turns out this Thanksgiving Day, we are a blessed people, living in a blessed nation, and we have so much to be thankful for.

I cannot help but think of the words of David in the 23rd Psalms where we read that, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

In spite of all the negative news that we hear, I see no one here in want of anything. God has given you a green pasture to lie down in; and given you peace in the midst of turmoil. Our Great Shepherd leads us to a place of peace and rest, where we can see the beauty of life, even in the times of greatest trouble.

He restores our souls. Sometimes we forget him, and we may even begin the path towards backsliding; but Jesus, in his great mercy, always finds a way to bring us back to the right path. He never gives up on us, and for that we must be ever thankful.

Jesus, through his Word, leads us into the paths of righteousness. He teaches us of truth and holiness that we won’t follow the ways of the world or the words of foolish men.

The way may seem rough and rugged sometimes, but the path is always straight. It’s not hard to find the way to holiness and righteousness if we just keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and his Word.

Jesus does all of this for his name’s sake; for his own glory and the praise of his mercy and grace. My life, and yours, serves as a living memorial that gives praise to Jesus who leads us, and we give God glory just by being faithful.

I’m thankful because Jesus blesses me in spite of myself. It’s nothing that I have done that gives me the right to be blessed. It’s all because Jesus just wants to bless me. The scripture says that it’s for his name’s sake.

The Bible tells us in Psalms 37:23-25, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

In your path today there is a place of still waters where you can rest and not be in fear. The Spirit of God dwelling in your heart gives you peace when everything and everyone around are trembling in fear. Through every trial of life we still have that calm assurance that Jesus pilots our ship, and he renews our joy and cleanses us by his blood continually all the day long. God delights in the obedience of his children as they walk in the path laid before them.