Thanksgiving Day – Joel 2:21-27

“Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things!” (Joel 2:21, NRSV)

As I alternately write this devotional and stare out the window, the earth is greedily soaking up last night’s rain. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a rain like that. Big fat slow juicy raindrops. The earth is preparing for its long winter sleep. A good rain, a good drink of water before ‘night, night’, just feels so right. I am thankful for the rain.

But according to Joel, the earth, the soil itself, is also thankful! “Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice…!” Well. How ’bout that?!! We often are reminded to be thankful for our blessings. But do you ever think about “things” being thankful, like soil and critters?

Take a minute this Thanksgiving Day to appreciate how the earth and its critters offer praises of thanksgiving. The soil supplies nourishment to create the Brussels sprouts on your table and the grain fed that turkey whose fate brought it to your table. The deer leap and play in the snow. The dog wags its tail in happy greeting. Shouts of thanksgiving surround us. Stop! Look! Listen to the voice of the earth!

With the soil, with the plants, with the animals lift your arms and voices in praises of thanksgiving for God is good all the time. Amen.

God of many blessings, hear our shouts of praise, our delighted barks and whinnies, see our playful antics of grateful thanksgiving this day for we have much for which to give thanks. Amen!

– The Rev. Fay Ann Blaylock, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Falls City, and Zion United Church of Christ, Rulo