What I’m Thinking: Give Thanks

Hannah burst out in a song of great joy and thanksgiving. What makes you give thanks?

Here’s a transcript:

I’m thinking about Hannah’s Song, which opens the second chapter of First Samuel (1 Samuel 2:1-10). It’s an astonishing outburst of thanksgiving, and Mary would, in fact, sort of pick up some of its themes and even some of its words when she declared her thanks when she was told she would be the mother of the Messiah.

I’m also thinking about friends, neighbors, colleagues at Opihikao Congregational Church UCC down there in Puna. They celebrated their Ho Ike last weekend, a morning of worship and of music and of memorized Bible verses.

Last summer, Opihikao members could not worship in their church. In fact, many of them could not live in their homes. They were literally cut off from the rest of the island by the summer’s eruption.

But with the settling down of Kilauea, the roads that lead down to Opihikao are open once again. People are working to return to their homes, and Opihikao was able to welcome friends and neighbors from churches all around East Hawai’i. The joy – the thanks – the wonder of that room: well, it reminded me of Hannah.

Hannah would have recognized it.

As we look ahead to Thanksgiving, we may not have cause as Hannah did for such deep joy. We may not have cause as Opihikao did – immediate cause – for such deep joy.

But I do know that each of us have some reason reason to give thanks, and I hope that you find that, and let your own song burst forth: in thanksgiving.

That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear about what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below; I’d love to hear from you.