A man attended a dinner where the waiters went around serving coffee after the meal. They passed him by twice. Others were served, but not this man. Finally, he stopped a waiter and asked for coffee.
“Mister,” the waiter said, “if you want coffee, you’ve got to turn up your cup. We only serve those who have turned up their cups.”
Some of us come to this Thanksgiving season with our cups down. We need to turn our cups up and realize that we all have reasons for thanksgiving, if we put ourselves in a position to receive and be aware of receiving God’s blessing.
One little boy was making a list of his blessings for Thanksgiving Day. High on his list was an entry for his new eyeglasses. That surprised the family because the young fellow had complained mightily when the doctor had prescribed them. He explained that now he was thankful for his glasses for two reasons. “They keep the boys from hitting me and the girls from kissing me.” No doubt a few years would season his reasoning, but he had the right idea. All of us have reasons for thanksgiving.
Paul said that the key to thanksgiving is memory. He sat in
a Roman jail one day with little apparent reason for thanksgiving. But though
he was prison- bound, he was not prison-minded. Because thoughts are always
free, Paul escaped jail and found thanksgiving through good memories. He
remembered his very favorite church,
Stop and think about things for which you can be thankful. A house. A family that makes the house a home. A job. Friends. Plentiful food. Clothing that not only is functional but beautiful. A church that celebrates unity. Good leaders who provide spiritual direction. A nation that is free. And on and on you could go.
This Thanksgiving season, when you gather around a table somewhere, stop and think about your reasons for gratitude. Then turn up your cup and for all that has been, for all that now is, and for all that is yet to be, give thanks to God.