November 22, 2008
Some time later, this happened: Absalom, David's son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Tamar. Amnon, also David's son, was in love with her. Amnon was obsessed with his sister Tamar to the point of making himself sick over her. She was a virgin, so he couldn't see how he could get his hands on her. Amnon had a good friend, Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was exceptionally streetwise. He said to Amnon, "Why are you moping around like this, day after day—you, the son of the king! Tell me what's eating at you." "In a word, Tamar," said Amnon. "My brother Absalom's sister. I'm in love with her." "Here's what you do," said Jonadab. "Go to bed and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to visit you, say, 'Have my sister Tamar come and prepare some supper for me here where I can watch her and she can feed me.'" So Amnon took to his bed and acted sick. When the king came to visit, Amnon said, "Would you do me a favor? Have my sister Tamar come and make some nourishing dumplings here where I can watch her and be fed by her." David sent word to Tamar who was home at the time: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare a meal for him." So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. She took dough, kneaded it, formed it into dumplings, and cooked them while he watched from his bed. But when she took the cooking pot and served him, he wouldn't eat. Amnon said, "Clear everyone out of the house," and they all cleared out. Then he said to Tamar, "Bring the food into my bedroom, where we can eat in privacy." She took the nourishing dumplings she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she got ready to feed him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, sister!""No, brother!" she said, "Don't hurt me! This kind of thing isn't done in Israel! Don't do this terrible thing! Where could I ever show my face? And you—you'll be out on the street in disgrace. Oh, please! Speak to the king—he'll let you marry me." But he wouldn't listen. Being much stronger than she, he raped her. No sooner had Amnon raped her than he hated her—an immense hatred. The hatred that he felt for her was greater than the love he'd had for her. "Get up," he said, "and get out!" "Oh no, brother," she said. "Please! This is an even worse evil than what you just did to me!" But he wouldn't listen to her. He called for his valet. "Get rid of this woman. Get her out of my sight! And lock the door after her." The valet threw her out and locked the door behind her. - II Samuel 13: 1-18
In just a few days I will be sitting at a table with my uncle’s fried turkey, my grandmother’s pig feet, my mother’s potato salad and I may even make macaroni and cheese. My grandfather’s baby sister, Aunt Truselle, will shower me with kisses and I will revert back to a five year old loving every minute of it. I will be asked the usual sarcastic questions by my cousins (“When do you plan to finish school and get a real job?” and “When are you going to start dating somebody?”) and I will respond with the usual sarcastic answers (“When I’m finished.” and “Umm-none of your business.”). I will find one of my grandfather’s old Crown Royal bags, fill it with pennies and play Pokeno- since I am now officially old enough. I will go outside and “ring around the rosie” with the littlest of our clan- since you’re never too old to do that. I will call Ashley to see how those cornish hens turned out and text Kiel to find out how they do Turkey Day in the Hamptons. When we go around the table and say what we are thankful for, I will say that I am most thankful for maturing to the place where I don’t wait until the fourth Thursday of November to express gratitude for those things that mean so much.But not far from my thoughts will be the over 10 million people in the United States of America who are without jobs; their tables may not be as full as mine. My mind will go to the children of the more than 2 million divorced families who will have to split their time between two homes. In my prayers will be the millions of families who no longer have their homes. What will this Thanksgiving look like for them? Will they recognize that, despite it all, God is still deserving of the praise? If she could, what would Tamar tell those less fortunate in our country today? Would she want them to wallow in their circumstances or look for the beauty in them? Could it be possible that Tamar would say that God still had a purpose and destiny for her, even though her life was turned upside down? Would she encourage those weak in spirit to look for God’s purpose in their trials, knowing that finding it would make them stronger?
These are trying times; more tears are present than smiles. Belief has been replaced with doubt. There seems to be more lack than gain. How do we celebrate? How do we offer thanksgiving? We offer it by recognizing that it truly could have been worse. Yes, you took a pay cut. But they could’ve cut your job. Yes, you lost your job. But you could have lost your mind. They may have taken your house but someone could have taken your life. It could always be worse. We may not be situated in the circumstances that we think we should be right now. But where we are is in a place that causes us to appreciate that God spared us. He’s still sparing us. He will continue to spare us. That’s His promise. He is our Father. We are His children. That, in itself, is enough to make anybody thankful.
Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving!
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