Over the next few days millions of people will get together across America and beyond to give thanks for something. The question is—what are people giving thanks for?

For many it is a time to gather with family they may or may not want to be with, watch sports and eat a lot of Turkey. Surely we have more to be thankful for than beer, football and gluttonous feasting. Right?

As I have been thinking about these things the old hymn “Man of Sorrows” keeps coming to mind, especially the refrain “hallelujah what a Savior”. It sounds like a total “Sunday School” answer but the reality is that Jesus is the only true reason for deep, abiding thankfulness and joy. Everything else will fail or pass away at some point. In Christ we find all truth, grace, love, compassion and forgiveness which he freely offers to us at the cost of his own blood. This changes everything. In Christ we can see flawed family members and friends as people deeply loved by a Savior and in need of redemption just like us. In Christ every feast becomes a foretaste of the joy we will have dining with Him in heaven (Is. 25:6). In Christ even football becomes... well I’m not sure what Jesus has to do with football but that’s just me.

Last Sunday I led the Mars Hill Ballard campus in a very simple rendition of “Man of Sorrows” focusing on this refrain, “Hallelujah what a Savior!” I’ll ask you the same question I asked them. What has Jesus saved you from? Where would you be without his initiation in your life? I challenge you to ask this question and share the answers with whoever you gather with this week. It’s always all about Jesus. Here is the the song we sang together last weekend.

Go to the Mars Hill media library to download - Hallelujah, what a Savior!!! Tim Smith’s facebook page