In 2004, President Bush issued a proclamation, and pardoned the Country’s official Thanksgiving turkey. The nation chose a scapegoat (or should I say scapeturkey)? I think its name was Biscuits, or Gravy. And what was its crime? Well, whatever mischief turkeys get into, I guess. The turkey was saved from an untimely death, to live out his days on some peaceful farm somewhere, by the President’s pardon.

This news brought to mind another situation in which a scapegoat was involved. A similar proclamation was made, saving mankind from eternal death. The pardon in this case, however, was not for the scapegoat. No, the scapegoat was indeed put to an untimely death. The proclamation of pardon was issued by the Son of God from a cross when he stated, “It is finished.” ( John 19:30 ) Not quite the same as pardoning the Country’s Thanksgiving turkey. However, some parallels can be drawn. Like the turkey, (and I know that some of you are having a hard time being compared to a turkey, but stay with me, OK?) we are restricted when it comes to determining our own destiny. We are bedraggled and constrained by this sin problem, caught in a body that is full of death, and trying to live in a world that is fallen from the original state it was created to sustain us. We can not do anything to save ourselves from this fallen condition. We are constantly beset by the enemy of our Creator, who is our enemy also. That is, until the Executive Order came down from heaven. The price for our sins had been paid by a perfect sacrifice, and the pardon was proclaimed. No longer are we bound by this sin that so easily besets us. ( Hebrews12:1) We now have a choice to do things God’s way, or go our own way, to overcome through His power and strength, or to flounder in our own state.

Unlike the turkey, however, who was taken by no will of his own to the farm in wherever, our pardon was purchased and proclaimed, willingly by the One sacrificed, and now it is up to each one of us individually to accept and apply the pardon to our lives. We have the choice to accept the pardon papers, which read PAID IN FULL and build again a deep and intimate relationship with the One for whom we were made.

The Thanksgiving season offers us a reminder and opportunity to give God thanks for our many physical blessings like food, shelter, clothing, freedom, etc. It also reminds us to be thankful for the spiritual wholeness that can be ours because of a pardon that Jesus secured for us on the cross.

So, when you are eating your Thanksgiving meal, think of Biscuits (or was it Gravy?) living his life out on some farm, and remember the eternal life with God that He has promised to all who will accept the pardon He has proclaimed to all, through Jesus the Christ. His pardon was for you. You do not have to live a seemingly purposeless life. His pardon sets us free to be all that He created us to be, and more, with His strength and power flowing through us.