Recently a young man was killed in a hunting accident in our area. It was a tragic event, one of those of which you would like to turn back the clock and do it differently. Unfortunately, a family must now grieve over the loss of a son. Many of you know the sorrow of losing someone you love and the pain and hurt that goes with it. A few days after the accident the local newspaper shared some of the father’s thoughts about his son. He said, "he had recently turned his life around. He had made plans to attend college. He also made us laugh."
Here was a father who was faced with the tragic loss of his son. Yet, in the midst of it all (although he is most likely still in denial), he gives thanks. In the midst of a crisis he finds it within himself to give thanks. This is exactly what Jonah did. Jonah was in the belly of the great fish at the bottom of the sea. There was no escape. Imagine the scene, Jonah, surrounded by seaweed and fish in the process of digesting. It was dark, disgusting and absolutely hopeless. What does Jonah do? He gives thanks. In the midst of a crisis, Jonah gives thanks.
This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving. Families and friends will gather around the table, sharing things they are thankful for. It is an American tradition, one that has been practiced since the year 1621. What is extraordinary to me is how the pilgrims could be thankful since their situation was tragic and hopeless. Half of the colony had perished. Only 5 of 18 wives survived. Only one family was left intact. To make things worse they were not experienced in farming and their governor, John Carver, died of sun stroke. In spite of their difficulties they made peace with the Indians. And with their help they put together a great feast. In the midst of a crisis they gave thanks.
There would still be hard times ahead for the pilgrims. But, they had hope and it was appropriate for them to give thanks. Their attitude of gratitude enabled them to endure. Their "spirit of thanksgiving" gave them the courage and faith to push forward.
When Jonah said his prayer of thanksgiving, he had no idea of his fate. He could have easily given up, thinking he got what he deserved. It was his own fault that he ran from his original assignment and then was discovered aboard the ship. But rather than be angry at God or condemn his own actions, Jonah gave thanks. You know the rest of the story. Following his prayer of thanksgiving, the great fish coughed up Jonah on dry land and he was free.
God didn’t give up on Jonah just as God doesn’t give up on us. It’s easy to let the troubles of the times or a personal crisis to consume us. God however, wants us to be tuned in to God’s message of hope and freedom. When we are preoccupied with our own agenda we are not capable of listening to God. Praying prayers of thanksgiving and living with a thankful spirit keeps us tuned in to God and acknowledges God’s presence.
Remember Humphrey the whale? In the late 80’s there was a whale who found his way inland from the coast of California. The whale, named Humphrey, traveled some 70 miles through rivers and streams. Marine biologists tried for days to get Humphrey turned around. Finally, they were successful because the whale tuned in to the signal and found his way back to the Pacific Ocean.
It is so easy for us to get off course and be so absorbed in our personal problems that we fail to acknowledge God and be thankful. We let the darkness of the moment and feelings of despair take control. Giving thanks embodies hope and hope enables us to continue our journeys.
Ironically the great fish which swallowed up Jonah also kept him alive. What appeared to be an eternal prison chamber became his "life raft." All of us have experiences where we find ourselves in the midst of danger or personal anxiety. One of my most anxious times was during the Vietnam War. I was on a US Navy ship in the Gulf of Tonkin. This "Weapon of mass destruction" had to endure threats from enemy fighters, submarines and even typhoons. There were frequent accidents and ship-board fires. Tensions were great among the crew. We faced civil unrest, a growing drug culture and a schedule that was arduous and exhausting.
I remember eating my first Thanksgiving dinner, 10,000 miles from home in the wardroom with a few friends. We had been working all day and had to eat our turkey dinner late in the evening. The stewards kept it warm for us. My roommate and I were seated alone at the table. We both talked about what our families were doing at home. And at the end of our conversation we gave thanks for one anthers’ company. In the mist of our combat language that consisted of fire drills, battle stations and captain’s orders, we still could communicate a language of personal gratitude. Fortunately, this great ship which took us to foreign and hostile waters was also the same ship that returned us safely home to the East Coast of Florida.
Whales have their own language that allows them to communicate beneath the sea. They can navigate, reunite with other whales and even send warning signals to other whales. Believers have a language too. It is, as Paul says, "to give thanks in all circumstances." (Phil 1:3-7) We communicate to God our dependence on God by giving thanks. We communicate to one another, hope and assurance, by giving thanks. We communicate to future generations, like the first pilgrims did, that being thankful is at the essence of what it means to be people of faith.
Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio