November 2009
Thankful? Why?

So he (Elijah) said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” (NKJ) I King 19:10

As I write this column for the November Grace Notes, I am still pondering the information
gleaned from the District Pastoral Conference I attended this past week. The main topic was confessing the faith and truth of Jesus Christ in the midst of a culture of toleration and outright hostility toward the Christian Faith.

Dr. Adam Francisco led the discussion on the how and why of evangelism in the Twenty-first century when one fi nds themselves squarely in the middle of different world views, and outright hostility toward the Christian faith.

While the country that was at one time considered a Christian nation (one nation under God), today this same Nation has adopted a civic religion that extols government as the answer to all of life’s unique questions.

Most who will read this article will be able to remember when football and turkey, travel and visitations took a back seat to prayers of thanks, and worship of the Triune God on this day of National Thanksgiving.

Let us consider for a moment, how your God has cared for you this past year. Has your financial security been threatened? Have you gone without food or clothing? Has God withheld His blessings of Word and Sacraments from you because you have been unfaithful in your stewardship of these gifts?

Have the economic troubles of this time forced you to reconsider what is truly important in your life? If so then you have truly been blessed.

Like Elijah, it is often easy for God’s people to see only the troubles and trials of this life, because we cannot see how God uses even evil things to bring about Good as He has promised. The measure of turning evil into good is seen in the light of the cross. It is there where man showed his greatest rebellion against God and His anointed by crucifying the Son of God, and yet it is there that God brought about the greatest good for all mankind through that death by giving life to the world.

So brothers and sisters, enjoy your turkey and football, but do not ignore the true treasures for which thankfulness is your apt response.

In His name, with Thanksgiving,


Pastor Froh