Look At The Giver

In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul writes, "For we live by faith, not by sight". In a world where, as Paul says, we find ourselves groaning (2 Cor. 5:2), what we focus on impacts our life. A familiar illustration captures this truth: a teacher holds a sheet of paper and draws one dot in the center. She then asks students what they see. Students respond that they see a dot. She then draws their attention to the vast white open space on the paper. Psychologists call this negative bias: our tendency to focus on what is wrong rather than what is good. Paul admonishes believers to live not by sight, but by faith in the God worthy of our trust. President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 right in the middle of the Civil War. The timing is striking. It was during the deadliest conflict in American history that he urged Americans to acknowledge God's blessing. Historians note that he did this to unify the nation through gratitude to God and to lift people's morale. As 1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands us to "give thanks in every circumstance", not just when things are going well. I love Thanksgiving for this reason. On this day, we are unified by something more than a national holiday or even football (Go Cowboys!). Thanksgiving is a bold statement of faith that says "we live by faith, not by sight". We give thanks not only for what we have, but even in seasons of loss, grief, and uncertainty, because God is trustworthy and true. Thanksgiving declares our joy in the Giver, not just the gifts. We give thanks to a God who is faithful and merciful. When the one true God is the object of our faith, we can always give thanks! As I look at 2025, I am deeply grateful that our lives have converged and God has called us together to be His church in Rancho Bernardo. I give thanks for this providential journey and for each of you. You are beloved and treasured by God. Thanks be to God who is worthy of all our praise! Happy Thanksgiving! Serving with you, Pastor Jason Ko