Thankfulness Daily

By Jose Barajas

“Every year and every day for the month of November people have been posting what they are thankful for. I don’t know what to think about this as I know some like it and some are like really enough already. I look at it like any other holiday or trend that hits social media, some are funny and some are like, huh what is that about ? I’ve never been one to follow the crowd of doing things cause everyone else is doing it. Maybe my parents told me if one of your friends jumps off of a bridge, will you too, one too many times and that’s why I don’t, or maybe I’m just awkward. Now please don’t take this wrong as there is nothing wrong with saying what you’re thankful for, but that’s like me only telling my mom and wife happy Mother’s Day on that one Sunday of the year. 

I’ve referred to “submarine” Christians in the past but I’ve also been witnessing more and more of “white tomb” Christians in and out of churches. This means or is a play on what Jesus told the Pharisees in Luke Twenty Three, 

““How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs that are painted white. Outside, those tombs look fine, but inside, they are full of the bones of dead people and all kinds of unclean things. It is the same with you. People look at you and think you are good, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil.” (‭NCV‬‬)

I know as I was one for a many years and at times I still struggle with this. Bare with me as I share a few misinterpreted things regarding God and His promises and Him pulling His people out of times of tribulations. Noah it says LIVED in a wicked time and Enoch prophesied prior to Noah of the wickedness of man. God waited One Hundred and Twenty years before the flood came and wiped out all living men, beast, flooding the earth. People saw Noah building the ark, but yet no one asked what he was doing and why or probably laughed at him when he told them. Noah was protected during the tribulation leading up to God closing him in the ark, but didn’t take Him out of the world. After the flood, man still found a way to become wicked again, even one of Noah’s sons committed sin shortly thereafter. 

When Jesus came the first time, Israel was under Roman authority and the “teachers” of the law were off the deep end on their theology and Rome was party central, with king’s living in debauchery, bribes, murder and everyone doing what they wanted as it was right in their own mind. It always amazes me throughout time and in different parts of the Bible, it constantly says, people did what was right in their own eyes. Jesus talking to His disciples says in Luke Seventeen, 

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”‬ ‭(ESV‬‬)

Again, Lot and his wife and two daughters were taken out of the city but not out of the world and his wife, seeing the destruction, turned back to look and she turned to salt. His daughters got Lot drunk and pregnant by him and yet again man did evil.

So what does this all mean during the thanksgiving season? It’s just another day like all the other days and many people don’t even celebrate it around the world, because I believe, we need to be thankful everyday we have breath. My wife, my kids, my daughter in laws, my grandkids, my dog, our cars, jobs, food, bed, tears, pain, sickness, health, sadness, joy, and in all things I give thanks to my Lord and Savior, everyday. Paul went thru many a tribulation, was beat constantly, jailed , mocked, and thrown out of cities, and yet reminds us in Philippians Four, 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”‬ (‭ESV‬‬)

Circumstances and tribulations happen and will continue to happen and more so, currently outside of America, but we can’t believe God will remove us from them, because His word says otherwise. Paul says, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds, but only in Christ Jesus. We will never experience wrath, but tribulations, yes! People will still be hungry, while we throw food away, people will still be cold while,  we throw another log into the fireplace or bundle up in our blankets. Kids will get beat, stolen and sold, as we tuck in our kids and say goodnight. We take for granted our breaths and our days, and won’t put our phones away long enough to say, Thank You Lord for saving me! You don’t have to believe what I wrote or say, you can say I’m crazy, but my prayer is that all people hear and come into His presence with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise, every moment of each day, before the Son of Man is revealed. He desires all to come! Like Jesus says, 

“So it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed!” Not secretly, and also, most of us may die physically before all this happens, so are you ready, or are we too busy partying, eating, and putting up with family for a day? What are we truly thankful for, not just once a year, but daily?” Jose Barajas

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” W. T. Purkiser