I can almost smell my Momma’s Turkey roasting in the oven for Thanksgiving. I remember Momma putting it in around mid-night on Thanksgiving Eve…it would roast all night, as she would get up every two hours and baste it. There was really nothing better than waking up on a cold, Thanksgiving morning as it permeated the house.
Momma and Daddy (and all of my grandparents) have passed on and I’m left with just the memory of those days. I miss the smells and laughter and joy that those days brought to our family. I miss the coming together and how the love melted away the stresses of the year. I find my heart longing for what was…playing with cousins…laughing as Pappaw would try and chew our ears off…safety.
Our President has a tradition each year of symbolically pardoning a Turkey…the Turkey probably was unaware of his fate in the first place…but in a gesture of good-will he is pardoned none-the-less. He gets to gobble back to his abode and live his worry-free life and hope that next year he will be as fortunate. How ridiculous, right??
Well, it could be considered ridiculous to pardon a Turkey — save him from the roaster — give him a second chance! However, as I thought more about this gesture, God reminded me of His pardon.
We are all like that Turkey — headed for a certain death and the all consuming, punishing fires of hell. However, God, in His great goodness, compassion, and mercy through the abundance of His Son’s shed blood on Calvary pardoned us! To the glory of God! Scripture tells us in Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.” (Titus 2:11 NASB) His love for us reaching down into the depths of wretched hearts and saving us!
Unlike that old Tom Turkey, we are pardoned once and for all!
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
(1 Peter 3:18 NASB)
I am grateful and thankful that God loved me so! My prayer for you, this Thanksgiving season, is that you will surrender everything and make Jesus Lord of your life. Repent and Believe on Him.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Azalea Trees and Tea Rooms 