“For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake, not only to believe and confidently trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake…” 

Solomon tells us that there is a time and a season for everything under heaven. So it shouldn’t surprise us that the Lord brought forth a time—a season, specifically set aside, associated with—being thankful. We actually call it, “Thanksgiving.” A time when we gather as a collective, connected, human family and recall all that we are thankful for. We sit—gathered around tables and steaming platters of food, hands joined, and hearts bent inward.

In a prayer—a confession, we take turns saying what it is we are most grateful for.

In a social media exercise conducted on Facebook of the top ten things people are most grateful for—Number One on the list, topping the charts, was friendship. People were most grateful for their friends. Also in the top ten are “family and friends,” “husband,” “children,” and “daughter.” It appears that we are most thankful for the people we are closest to.

By far, the most significant, meaningful, fulfilling, the most precious relationship I have—the friend I value most in life, is Jesus. It’s the relationship I have with Him. And so, it’s here—as the head of this table, the one you and I are seating at, that I’ll ask you to indulge me for a moment so that I might talk a bit about who it is I am most grateful for.

Hopefully—you share in my gratitude? But if not, maybe later, as our time together comes to a close—you will…

I didn’t go looking for a friendship with Jesus.

I knew of Him certainly, but that was all—a knowing, a head knowledge. It was a start, a seed…

Years of Catholic school and my weak as water faith in the fact that there was more to life than what I was experiencing, was the only true thread that connected me to God. That, and the fact that I had always believed—felt, somehow intrinsically knew, that there was a reason behind all that I saw around me. Mind you, I take no credit for this knowing. It was a gift. I wasn’t a person who believed in random anything. I still don’t. I know now that though I didn’t yet know (ginṓskō ) God—He certainly knew me, in the truest, most intimate sense! And why wouldn’t He, after all He created me, formed me, knew my most intimate thoughts and intrical parts. God speaks of His intimate knowledge of His friends this way: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (emphasis my own).

I didn’t choose Jesus, as I said. He chose me, wooed me. He stood over the void He was about to turn into the place I know as home and said, Yes, I think MaryEllen will fit perfectly into my plan for this place. And He did it before He created one tree, one fish. Before grass was green He chose me to be His! And so, in His infinite wisdom, and, for lack of a word I’ve not yet found to describe His loving-kindness, His goodness, and unmerited mercy, God was gracious unto me and called me to be His own—His friend…

He set a place—a forever, exclusive seat at His table for me…

So in this season, and every day that He allows me to live—to be used by Him in some small way, I am grateful…

But it’s now, here, with you, that He is reminding me of this great privilege I’ve been afforded. Not everyone knows Him—or wants to. I’ll leave the theological explanations of why to those far more learned than I. What I can tell you with absolute certainty, with boldness, is this. If He had not chosen me, I’d be dead. Most likely literally, but if not, most certainly I’d be among the living dead—the hopeless. You see my life had become a cesspool. There’s a saying that will give you a glimpse of what I’m talking about. It goes something like this: You can put a gown on a pig and a gold ring through its nose—but it’s still a pig. And that friend, describes my state of thinking and living right up to the second Jesus reached across time and eternity and took me to be His…

Everything on the outside looked fine—hence the gown and gold ring on our fictional pig…

Three beautiful, healthy children, a home, good food, a car, money in my pocket, talents, and a family that hadn’t tossed me to the wolves. Even after years of my abandoning them. Yet I was a train wreck—wallowing in sin, depressed, in denial, manipulative, and, angry. Knowing it was wrong—I was wrong, wanting out—but feeling as though I were powerless to change one thing. And I was. No one—unless their out of their minds, literally, would choose living that way…

And then Jesus came. Bringing with Him the change only He can. Just like that, seemingly, out of nowhere. I know now—have some small glimpse in retrospect, of how Paul may have felt when Jesus knocked him off His horse! “And he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me [harassing, troubling, and molesting Me]? And Saul said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. [b]It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance]” (Acts 9:4-5). Though I didn’t hear one Word from Jesus the day He knocked me off my proverbial horse—I most assuredly felt Him. I knew something had just happened to me as I sat there listening to the priest exegete his homily.

Yet I had no idea—no frame of reference for what that feeling was—nor how it would immediately, lastingly, turn my life upside down—in the best possible way…

It cost me. His coming to me, being chosen by Him—it cost me. If fact, it still is, costing me that is. But oh, what a privilege, an honor really, to pay the price of calling Jesus my own! And yet my cost has been chicken feed when compared to what Jesus willingly paid to call me His…

Again, I can relate to how Paul tells it, listen: “But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life]. 8 But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ…” (Philippians 3:7-8).

I felt compelled today to share this…

First as a reminder to myself—because though I’ve been afforded this awesome privilege, both of salvation and friendship with Jesus, and to partake—share, in His suffering, truth be told, shamefully, I often forget just how very precious and costly this privilege is. How dearly another—willingly, lovingly paid the price that I might taste of its goodness at all! Secondly, but no less important, to remind you too—if you’ve been chosen by Jesus, knocked off your proverbial horse as it where, to return to the place—to the fervor, of where it all began—this thankfulness…

Friend, thank you for joining me at my table…

And thank you for allowing me the privilege of sharing with you the Person for who I am most grateful. Jesus Christ. Prayerfully, you too are thankful for Him in your own life. But allow me, if you will, another moment to speak to anyone who may not share in our gratefulness because they’ve not met our Lord.

Friend, there is room at this table for you…

Jesus has set a place for you as well. He didn’t forget about you. He set it two thousand plus years ago at His Cross. The Blood—His innocent Blood, was shed there for you—so that you too may be called His chosen, His friend. He’s done all that was asked of Him and He tells us in His Word that if we ask Him to come to us, and believe that He is who He says He is, then salvation is ours—friendship with Him is ours. “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.…” (Romans 10:8-10).

Won’t you call out to Him today? Please, join us in fellowship as we celebrate—this gift of giving thanks to The One…

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”

Let the poor say, “I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks…”