Read Jeremiah 33:14-16.

People look forward to celebrations.  Generally, after Labor Day, the unofficial day of the beginning of the fall season, preparation begins for the harvest season, the back to business from vacation, and the back to school year.  It is in a season of remembrance, anticipation, and expectation.  Labor Day is when the commitment and the rights of laborers are celebrated.  Laborers were fighting for justice in the workplace and they are still advocating and pressing for workers’ rights.  They continue to press on for a fair and livable wage, reasonable work hours, and health and family benefits.  Labor Day is when people begin to come together as families, communities and nation to look to one another for support, care and encouragement.

During Thanksgiving, families and communities come together to remember their fore-parents and journey throughout the years.  Thanksgiving is one holiday when African American’s legacy is remembered.  They remember how their fore-parents survived the struggles of the time:  the middle passage, the slave trade, chattel slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, and, today, subliminal racism.  They remember the time when they watched over one another – even neighbors; how they sacrificed so that their children would have a better life; and how they prayed that God would make a way out of no way!  Yes, on Thanksgiving Day, families celebrated with one another; yet remembered from whence they come – “We’re not what we ought to be; but, we are not what we use to be!”[1]  Therefore, give thanks to the Lord for bringing us through another year to give thanks and celebrate one another as we remember how God brought us over!

After celebrating Thanksgiving, the season of Advent begins with anticipating the coming of the Lord; waiting with anticipation of new life; and anticipating what god is going to do in our lives.  Again, people celebrate each other, remembered their struggles and victories, and anticipate what is to come.  In anticipation of what is to come, we wait, wait on the promise.

People have wrestled and struggled with relationships with families, jobs, church, politicians, the economy, the school system, and with their own capabilities.  But God keeps bringing them through – intact.  How – 1) through another war-torn year with uncertainty of the future of family members and friends serving in an unjust war;  2) by manipulating budgets to make ends meet with the increase in the cost of goods and services because of a recession;  and 3) by providing strenuous effort to protect the children and provide them with adequate and appropriate housing, education, healthcare, as well as other resources so they can develop as healthy and responsible persons.  Why – because of prayers: the prayers of the church family, Momma, Daddy, Grandma, friends; even your own.  “The prayers of the righteous availeth much!”[2]

If you think about it, it feels good after you have given thanks.  Thanks for waking you up in the morning; thanks for clothing you with your right mind; thanks for watching over you and your family; thanks for a reasonable portion of health and strength; thanks for putting food on your table; thanks for providing clothes to wear; thanks for paying your bills; thanks for a place to lay your head; thanks for protecting you from dangers seen and unseen; thanks for keeping you from going off on somebody who got on your last nerve; thanks for bringing you through surgery; thanks for keeping you when you could not keep yourself; thanks for regulating your mind; and so much more!  Thank God for His mercy, love, goodness, patience, and grace – which is sufficient?

By the grace of God, with the help of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, you came through another year.  The celebration and remembrance with thanksgiving then moves to anticipation on what is to come. – waiting; waiting on the promise!  In verse 14, it reads, “the LORD…will fulfill the promise [the LORD] made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”  In verse 15, the [promise continues that [the LORD] will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”  In verse 16, the promise expands that “Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety.”  It also provides the name of the coming “promise”- “The LORD is righteousness.”  Look at the promise more closely!  Look closely at those three verses!