Fields United Methodist Church

Side by Side with Jesus.                                                         Pastor Tom Joyce

November 16, 2020

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus.”  I Corinthians 1:4

Many years ago, I had a friend in a church that when I asked how he was doing he would reply, “wallowing in grace.” Truly he was a man of great faith that he lived out in his daily walk, and he was not afraid to share his faith with all those around him. He lived a life of grace in his service to others and in his witness to living a life transformed by grace. Grace is profoundly the greatest gift we have received from God through Jesus; it is a gift of life, of forgiveness, of second chances, of peace. Next week as a nation we celebrate thanksgiving, a time set aside to thank God for all the gifts we have received. We thank God for the lives of those we have met along the way.  In this season of pandemic, there are voices that say thanksgiving should be cancelled, but how can giving thanks to God be cancelled? We should limit the numbers around our table and take steps not to spread the COVID virus during this time there is no doubt.  Thanksgiving to God is between you and God, celebrating the very presence of God in your life, and the bounty that comes from living side by side with Jesus and with those around you. St. Paul proclaims that he, “gives thanks to my God always,” not just some time, but all the time for those around him. There is a joy in offering thanksgiving to God in all times and in all places because in our thanksgiving there is a celebration of new life that we have received from God in Christ Jesus. I thank God for my friend who was “wallowing” in the grace of God because he shared the same grace with me. You have been blessed by God with the gift of God’s grace, thank you Jesus. You have been blessed by those who have shared God’s grace with you when you needed grace in your life. In this season of thanksgiving, share the grace you have received, and you will be a blessing as you have been blessed. Give thanks to the One who loves you and has blessed you with the gift of grace in your life; that is a celebration that cannot be cancelled.

Rev. Tom Joyce