Article December 13, 1999 Issue

The dynamic of the holiday season

Gratitude, healing, renewal

By Peter Crosby Crabbe

One Year As the holiday season approached, I felt the need to pray for a greater understanding of its spiritual significance. My family had faced tremendous challenges for several years: illness, financial difficulties, career stress, strained relationships. It seemed never-ending. I was tempted to view the holidays with bitter cynicism, labeling them as all promise and no fulfillment. However, this attitude didn't jibe with what I knew to be true about God and His law of love. I turned to the Bible to gain a higher view of the holidays.

As I reviewed some of Christ Jesus' demonstrations, I began to notice a familiar dynamic playing out. Jesus began with gratitude, which was followed by healing, and then the one healed would be renewed. For example, when Jesus was called to raise Lazarus from the dead, he said: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always" (John 11:41, 42). He then raised Lazarus—an act that was the visible manifestation of the healing power of the Christ. Lazarus came forth newly restored to life and health. I realized that the three primary holidays are analogous to these three elements of demonstration.

We begin this holiday season with Thanksgiving—gratitude for all blessings. Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to emulate Christ Jesus, our Way-shower, by making gratitude the first step of demonstration. Gratitude fills us with expectation and joy. We declare our thanks that God is infinite Spirit, the substance of all true being, and that therefore our cup runneth over (see Psalm 23). More than simply appreciating material well-being and wishing for greater benefits, true gratitude declares itself as concrete fact, stating, God maintains His creation in perfect balance, order, and supply.

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