A 2020 Thanksgiving
by Vickey Banks
This year has challenged us all, yet I have found seven things I’m more thankful for this Thanksgiving:
1. Sovereignty of God
A worldwide pandemic that may have purposely been put into place, racial riots and escalated tensions, excessively polarized political campaigns...the angry and disillusioned climate of 2020 has made this world feel more frightening than ever before. While I do not pretend to fully understand the sovereignty of God (or expect to this side of Heaven), knowing His claims that He is the supreme authority, all things are under His ultimate control, and that Jesus will forever be the King of Kings has never been more re-assuring.
2. Unchanging Truth of the Word of God
By nature, I am a highly trusting woman. But this year of slanderous, hateful political campaigns and the increasingly belligerent treatment by journalists from both sides of the spectrum has forced me to acknowledge a painful truth: I no longer believe any of them. I do not trust their words. Conversely, God’s word speaks the same truth it has always spoken. It doesn’t change His policies and opinions, it doesn’t demean the value of others, it brings substantive hope and always delivers what it promises. “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)
3. People to Love
I hate social distancing. I hate its impact on relationships and health. However, distance has reminded me of how fortunate I am to have people to love and that connecting meaningfully with them is worth every effort.
4. Seasons come and go
Whether we were under mandatory quarantine in a shut-down world or maneuvering through a masked and partially open one, the flowers still burst into bloom, the sun shined down on summer and the fall trees have been ablaze with color. God’s creation could not be masked!
5. Racial Enlightening
Painful, long overdue and by no means complete, this has been a sorrowful but much-needed education. While horrified by the injustices shown to them, I am grateful to the multitude of individuals who have shared their experiences while fighting for a better world. Thank you for educating and not giving up on the rest of us.
6. The Internet
Say what you will about its negative effects on in-person communication, the ability of people to write complete sentences, social media algorithms, and the im-personalness of it all, but the internet made it possible for us to at least see each other’s faces and “gather” in groups online so we wouldn’t feel quite so cut off from one another during a world-wide quarantine. Thank you, Zoom!
7. Christmas is Coming!
This year has been tough on celebrators like myself. We’ve gotten creative with drive-by birthday parties, outdoor graduation receptions and online birthday and baby showers...but enough already! We want to decorate our homes, sit side-by-side around a table with our friends and family and we need to celebrate something good. And what is good personified? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Let’s celebrate - Christmas is coming because He came!
Author Bio
Bible study teacher, author, inspirational speaker and disciple-maker, Vickey is passionate about helping women connect the dots between God’s Word and their everyday lives. She loves serving as Women’s Ministry Director at Council Road, writing for and overseeing the Council Road Women blog, serving as a LifeWay Women’s Trainer and as a member of the Women’s Leadership Team for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. She also enjoys teaching Young Adults with her husband, celebrating her people, relishing God's creation and getting lost in a good story.