by Rev. John Farmer
Visit the Irvington Baptist Church website
After the Irvington Turkey Trot
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]everal conversations overheard of late have had to do with local matriarchs “a-grumble;” laments flowed about the effort and work to plate Thanksgiving, resultant from family out hunting and trying to keep the feast at-the-ready for when the weapons are stored. Some dared to mention that football, not ovens will prevail.
Oh well, smiles and sounds of love betrayed each complainer, for it was evident that families local, will be thankful, the afore rumors notwithstanding.
Below are listed some 27 verses of KJV Scripture (19 OT, 8 NT). Of course, they are not in any sequence. After carving your turkey and helping your holiday recliners to relax, have a go at hunting the passages. There are some menu items below which we might have overlooked of late. Don’t be fooled by the punctuation. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with Thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with Thanksgiving: For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us Thanksgiving to God. And offer a sacrifice of Thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, ‘O ye children of Israel,’ saith the Lord God. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with Thanksgiving. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with Thanksgiving; for the Lord shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, Thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. And out of them shall proceed Thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of Thanksgiving; ‘I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’ If he offer it for a Thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of Thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for Thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. And when ye will offer a sacrifice of Thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will. And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the Thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and Thanksgiving unto God. Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the Thanksgiving, he and his brethren. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. That I may publish with the voice of Thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of Thanksgiving of his peace offerings. Offer unto God Thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Let us come before his presence with Thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of Thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. Sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with Thanksgiving. Saying, ‘Amen.’ Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and Thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Here are a few passages to help us in our hunt: Lev. 7:12-13, 15; Lev. 22:29; Neh. 11:17; Neh. 12:8; Neh 12:46; Ps. 26:7; Ps. 50:14; Ps. 69:30; Ps. 95:2; Ps. 100:4; Ps. 107:22; Ps. 116:17; Ps. 147:7; Isa. 51:3; Jer. 30:19; Amos 4:5; Jonah 2:9; 2 Cor. 4:15; 2 Cor. 9:11; Phil. 4:6; Col. 2:7; Col. 4:2; I Tim. 4:3-4; & Rev. 7:12.
From our house to yours, indeed prayerful thanksgiving will reign. Let me assure you that this is our Thanksgiving Hunt—son Lee and clan will be eating out on a far mountain, following hunting sale bargains. Here, after the Irvington Turkey Trot: Son Rob and grandson Porter participating.
Deer be safe, turkey’s in the freezer. Pies are yet to be baked. Dishes assigned to family will weight the table. Baptist egg nog will be sipped.
