Loving God, you call us away from our worries to trust in you instead. Remind us this day of the blessings which have already come to us from your hand, that we might be strengthened in faith and in hope for the future; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

At the time that the apostle, Paul, wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was sitting in prison. He had been put in prison, once again, because his preaching about Jesus Christ had stirred up trouble. This seems to happen to Paul quite frequently, and yet he remains filled with joy and hope. And as he writes, inspired by the Holy Spirit, we find these words: "Do not worry about anything" (Phil. 4:6).

Now, of course, Paul is not the first person to say these words. We find the same thing in the gospels and even in the Psalms: Do not worry about anything. - How easy is that to do? How easy is it to simply put a lid on it and stop worrying? - I suppose there are probably some people who are better worriers than others, but for most people that I've met, I'd say it's pretty difficult. Yet, listen to what the Scriptures have to say about worrying!

Psalm 37 is perhaps the most explicit when it says, "Do not fret - it leads only to evil" (37:8). Then when we look in the gospel of Luke, we find that worries are put into the same category as dissipation (or feasting) and drunkenness. The warning that is given there is that the worries of this life and too much eating and drinking will keep us from recognizing the day of Christ's coming (Lk. 21:34). Finally, there is a long passage in the gospel of Matthew which is all about not worrying (Mt. 6:25-34). Worry is set forth as a sign of little faith, for God will feed and clothe us just as the birds are well looked after. At the same time, Matthew reminds us that worry doesn't actually do anything. We won't add even a single hour to our life span by worrying (Mt. 6:27). So what are the alternatives that are given?

It would seem that in every passage that I just mentioned, the alternative to worry has something to do with prayer. In Psalm 37, where fretting will only lead to evil, we are to commit our way to the Lord and trust in the Lord. We read, "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him" (Ps. 37:7). The situation there is that it looks like the wicked are going to prosper and triumph. However, the Psalmist reminds us that the judgment belongs to God, and those who put their trust in the Lord will be vindicated at the right time. Fretting and worrying will lead to evil. Waiting patiently for the Lord will allow for God's justice.

Similarly, in Luke 21 where we are warned about being weighed down by the worries of this life and failing to recognize the coming of Christ, the alternative is to pray and keep alert. This will help us to recognize Jesus and will give us the strength to stand in the midst of troubling and fearful times. In Matthew 6, as well, we are called both to prayer and to action. The alternative to worry that is given there is to seek the kingdom of God above anything else, and all else that we need will be given to us as well (Mt. 6:33). In other words, following Jesus is to be our primary concern.

This brings us to the second reading that we heard today, where Paul also gives an alternative to worry.

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7).

The end result is peace, and the path that leads to peace involves "prayer and supplication with thanksgiving."

We noted earlier how worrying about something doesn't actually do anything about it. Worrying simply puts lots of stress on us over whatever the situation might be. However, prayer on the other hand, actually puts the situation into the hands of somebody who has the power to do something about it. Prayer looks to God for guidance rather than to ourselves. Prayer acknowledges that God is the one with the power.

At the same time, there are those two little words that seem to be there quite purposefully in this passage from Philippians. It's not just prayer that is called for, but prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Why "with thanksgiving"? Why is thanksgiving so important in the quest for the peace of God?

A quick survey of what the New Testament has to say about giving thanks reveals, not the answer to the "why?" question, but the assumption that thanksgiving is simply part of what we do as followers of Jesus Christ. Paul seems to say it over and over again. Give thanks "at all times and for everything" (Eph. 5:20). "Give thanks in all circumstances" (2 Thess. 5:18). "Be thankful" (Col. 3:15). Jesus, too, is always giving thanks in the gospels. "When he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them" (Lk. 22:19). "After giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you'" (Mt. 26:27). It is no accident that the Lord's Supper is often referred to as the Eucharist. "To give thanks" in Greek is eucharisteo. It is also no accident that charis, or "grace," is at the center of this word.

The Eucharist - the Lord's Supper - is a reminder to us of God's grace. We are reminded of how Jesus gave himself for us and for the life of the world. We are reminded of how we receive God's forgiveness and salvation - not because of anything that we have done to deserve it, but purely because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We are reminded of how God takes us as members of a sinful and fallen humanity and transforms us into the family of God and the body of Christ - all because of what Jesus has done - and in spite of what we have done. Can our response really be anything other than thanksgiving?

Of course, the time when most of us have the greatest difficulty with giving thanks is when things are not going so well and we are worried about many things. And yet, in any situation, no matter how bad it might seem, there is always something for which to give thanks. Paul could have focused on how terribly unjust it was for him to have been thrown into prison - all because he had spoken the truth about Jesus. Instead, he gives thanks that the gospel is spreading all the more because of his imprisonment (Phil. 1:12-18). He also continually gives thanks for all those who have come to believe in Jesus, always over and above any beatings or torture or imprisonment which he has to endure.

When we pray and bring our requests to God with thanksgiving, what we are really doing is reminding ourselves of what God has already done for us. At the very least, God has sent his only Son for our salvation, who loved us so much that he was willing to endure the suffering that humanity's sinfulness causes. This by itself is no small thing! Yet, we have also been created in the image of God and provided with all that is needed from day to day. God continues to preserve our bodies and souls and all that is needful as we seek God's kingdom above all else.

The thing is that when we are able to give thanks for the blessings we have received both in the past and the present, it strengthens our faith and our hope for the future. This is a pattern that is evident in the first reading that we heard today from Isaiah 25:1-9. It starts out by giving thanks and praise for what God has done in the past. From there it moves on to what God is going to do in the future: the feast for all peoples on the mountain of the Lord. Most certainly there were all kinds of things going on in the interim, but remembering how God acted in the past gave the people hope for the future and a reason to trust in God's promises.

When we pray with thanksgiving, it does the same for us, and leads us into the peace that passes all understanding.

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Amen.

Proper 23(A) - Thanksgiving Sunday Philippians 4:6-7
October 9, 2005 Isaiah 25:1-9
St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore
? 2005 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved