אוֹדֶ֣ה

[Hebrew Translation of Title:  אוֹדֶ֣ה / ’ō·w·ḏeh or yadah meaning: Give thanks or more properly will praise with arms extended in worship] 

In other words: " ♫ Throw yo hands in the air and wave'em like ya just don't care  ♫ " towards the Lord!

Well...here it comes again. The most important holiday of the the year that pretty much doesn't exist for most except as a day off to watch a dumb football game. Perhaps only to be improved upon by mangling a 20 lb frozen bird and subsequently burn it to a crisp. This along with melting a plastic bag inside filled with the gizzards that you forgot to pull out before sticking it in the oven ;) .

Thanksgiving. A holiday that has its roots in the original Puritan settlers that came to American shores in hopes of building new lives in a new Promised Land. As a matter of fact these Puritans viewed their emigration from Europe as a virtual re-enactment of the Exodus. To them, England was Egypt, the king was the Pharaoh, the Atlantic Ocean was the Red Sea, America was the Land of Israel, and the Indians were the ancient Canaanites. The Puritans were the new Israelites, entering into a new covenant with God in a new Promised Land. Of course most modern secular celebrants would disavow this fact.

So in the tradition of those that have come before me I will sing God's praises this time of year regardless of how hard this year has been (...and you can ask my wife, this year was horrible). 

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." ~ Colossians 2:6-7

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. ~Psalm 95:1-7

My life and the life of my family has been quite difficult this year, not unlike the Hebrew slaves under Pharaoh. But we have now been put into a better position by the Lord God. We have been delivered from what amounted to spiritual and worldly oppression. When things looked the worst the Lord delivers us just as He has done for people in the Bible. He saved Daniel not from the lions but in the lions den. He saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo not from the fire but in the fire. He saved the Israelites not from the water barrier but in the water barrier. If we are running in parallel to the Exodus theme I believe, for now, my family and I are on the far side of the Red Sea. It is at this time we hear a song. It is in Exodus 15. When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen had gone into the sea, the LORD had brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song:

Exodus 15:1-18 ~ “I will sing to the LORD for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my defense he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you-majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone-until your people pass by, Lord, until the people you bought pass by. You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance-the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. The Lord reigns forever and ever.”

When I actually have the time to tell the people of all the details of this deliverance in a future post on this blog, it will blow people away to see just how much God had going on behind the scenes to make it happen. When I will describe the exact manner in which it happened, people will realize that things on the magnitude of the Red Sea can still occur in this day and age if they are viewed properly...if they are viewed through a biblical lens. The year was literally hell...but the end of the year was epic. What else would we expect from a grandiose God that dwells on high?

Again we have been delivered Lord...and for this I thank You. No one said this journey was going to be easy and I know we may still have our Golden Calf moments. I also know that you are forgiving, merciful and full of grace Lord...and for this I thank You.