It Is Thanksgiving Time

The time is Thanksgiving.

A time to gather with those closest to us, if we are fortunate enough, to feast on delicious food.  A time that often causes us to reflect on our blessing and all we are grateful for.  

I am at my daughter's home to do just that.  And this morning I was having an interesting conversation with a ten year old boy.  He was explaining his fascination the little Red panda.  Have you ever heard of a red panda?  I never have.  It is a darling little furry thing. I enjoyed his conversation about how he discovered this animal.  And that he was doing a report for school on the panda.  

I was actually quite impressed with his enthusiasm.  

Then the conversation turn to quite another subject.  He was telling me about some new technology called a “pip-boy.”  It is a device, a game, that you wear on your arm, down by the wrist.  The latest thing.

“Its only three hundred dollar for the newer model.”  He said.  

He explained that the one from last year didn’t have a screen that you could work on,  And that this “new model is much better.” The conversation with this child, who has no idea of the value of money, caused me to sit and wonder.  

Wonder about how we seem to always need the newest, and finest, and best of all products.  

How our old phone just doesn’t offer us all of the possibilities possible. 

And we are once again in pursuit of the best. No matter the costs. 

It brought to mine one of the commentaries I read last week. The commentator was writing about this need to have “better” and "the best." 

What he wrote something that now has my mind going:

“God says,  Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.  We are truly alive only in covenant (relationship) with God ...God calls us into covenant to be fulfilled and completely satisfied by God...Our happiness is assured only when we abide in God”

My question then, and my question this morning, is:  what does it mean to be “completely satisfied?” 

I’m thinking it is a very relevant question.  Especially as we move into the Christmas season. 

And then, what is it that keeps us tied to the competitive culture of immediate technology, and the importance of reason and logic?  

A culture that conditions us want to win, and be the best, and have the very latest there is to buy.  

                                And have it now.

Granted, it is true that God gave us minds that are imaginative.

Minds, as a matter of fact, that have produce the miracles of technology -- things that make our lives easier.  

Things like washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, electric cookers, television, trains, car, airplanes, computers, smart phones, tablets and much more.  

All of these marvels have taken what was once a chore and made life easier -- and more instant.  Right???

But games are not a chore.  

They aren’t even a necessity.

And yet, we seem never to be completely satisfied with what we have, or how life is going.  

There always seems to be something more we want.  

An interesting truth!!!

So I have to asked:  Why?  

                               Why do we want/need more?  

When is it that we will just be truly content -- "completely satisfied?"  

Or, when will we finally realize that God is the source of all we truly need?

The commentator asks a great question:  “Have we become so obsessed with all the toys -- and the latests ones -- that we have forgotten the giver?”

Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.

Without God’s gift of creative mind; all those toys would not be.

Then what would we do with all of our time?

An interesting question.  Right?

Happy Thanks Giving.

1 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. 6 Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.(Isaiah 55:1-9)