Enough

On this Thanksgiving Day
I stop and ponder…
Enough?

A partly cloudy day today
But the sun came up, and that’s enough

No Alabama trip, as planned today
But East Tennessee will be enough

No dear children to enjoy this day
But I’ve got Lil Jan, much more than enough

No dad to share a meal with this day
But chatting by phone will be enough

No mom to give a hug this day
But she’s in heaven, and that’s enough

No hanging with friends, as planned today
But playing games with in-laws will be enough

No Turkey Trot to run this day
But a morning jog will be enough

I’ll return with partially numb feet this day
But two feet I have, and that’s enough

I’ll treat glaucoma with eye drops this day
But two eyes I have, and that’s enough

No massive feast to consume this day
But Cracker Barrel takeout will be enough

No backyard football to play this day
But watching the Cowboys will be enough

The movie theaters are closed today
But I’ve got a good book, and that’s enough

No crowds at Macy’s parade today
But there’ll still be floats, and that’s enough

No mansion over our heads today
But a God-provided home, and that’s enough

No fancy cars in the garage today
But there’s a Honda Fit, and that’s enough

Not the richest guy in town today
But God always provides, and that’s enough

No walks along the beach today,
But a mountain view will be enough

No worshipping in person, for us, these days
But streaming it live, for now, is enough

A year half-empty, it seems, this day
But a year also half-full, and that’s enough

Only 24 hours in the day, this day
But I’ve got this moment, and that’s enough

What’s the future hold? I don’t know today
But God holds the future, and that’s enough

On this Thanksgiving Day
I bow my head
And thank my God
For always giving me…

Enough

Loading

In Kings We Trust

“But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”            – 1 Samuel 8:19-20

Americans get pretty worked up over election results. The stakes always seem so high…

       Donald Trump promised to Make America Great Again. Who wouldn’t want that?

       Barack Obama offered Hope and Change. Sign me up!

       George W. Bush served up Compassionate Conservatism. Give me a double order of that, please!

       Dwight Eisenhower said he would bring Peace and Prosperity. How soon can we start?

       Even as young student, I voted for Student Council President candidates who promised longer recesses, less homework, and field trips to Disney World. If we can just elect the right person, surely good things will happen and our lives will improve.

       The Israelites were no different. Although God promised to lead them and make them prosperous as their eternal king, that wasn’t enough. They wanted an earthly king like the nations around them. With the right earthly king on the throne, they would find success in battle and economic prosperity…or so they thought. 

       The note from the margin reads: We still want a leader to fight our fights and fix our problems. Rather than put our trust in God, we look to earthly leaders for solutions to what ails our society and our lives. Rather than seek to become more pure and Christ-like as individuals, we focus on an earthly king who promises to make our nation greater. Rather than put our hope in a Savior who can change us, we order up hope and change from a mere mortal.

       I’m not against political parties, politicians, or free and open elections. Earthly kings, from the United States President down to the 8th Grade Student Council President, can inspire people and bring about great change. Some leaders even pray to God and ask him to guide their actions and decisions.

       But the biggest choice we face isn’t at the ballot box. What’s truly at stake isn’t dependent on which political party holds office for the next four or eight years. While those things matter, there is a matter of greater consequence. Will we, as a nation and as individuals, choose to follow God? Will we trust in the one who created us, loves us, and sustains us?

       The warning from 1 Samuel 12:25 seems fitting: “Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”

Loading