Monday

Presuppositions To Thanks Giving

Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The two words “thank God” may have more depth of meaning than any other human expression. Perhaps it is because I was raised close to atheism that the presuppositions supporting these two words sort of pop when I hear them used sincerely, or use them myself.

When I use these words I express the belief that I have received benefits from a Being outside myself. That this Being has special powers to touch my life without being seen. So this Being, I call God, transcends physical life. In these two words I celebrate His power to manipulate the physical world around me, and to effectively change or influence the events of my life, and the lives of others. He can keep me from being harmed, or make what harm comes my way profitable to me or to Him.

So... coupled to the power expressed in these words is a wisdom that sees all the potential outcomes of every possible option relating to my life. And in my thanks I express trust that He has chosen the right options for me and/or those who attract my pleas of concern on their behalf. I also realize that in this expression, thank God, I confess that I believe God controls the cosmos, for if He does not then His influence cannot be discerned from the natural forces and events that surround me. He becomes just another person in my life with powers limited by this existence.

In these two words I acknowledge that God, who controls the world, has an interest in the details of my life. That His interest reaches into the details of my life that are beyond my consciousness. He knows me better than I know myself. That this Being --this God-- with such wisdom and power, must have made a decision about me which resulted in His amazing benevolent attention upon me. This is the first conscious decision of love. In these two words, thank God, I express the truth that I know He loves me...

And when I examine myself for what would make me so loveable to my God I become more amazed and thankful because I don't find anything... in fact, I find many reasons for Him to not love me. So, to me, His love is unmerited and His actions on my behalf are undeserved. So in my words of thanks there is always a special intensity and depth of emotion drawn from the well of my unworthiness.

Even when I thank Him for the smallest benefit my thanks carries the expression of my unworthiness and knowledge of the price His love paid to bring me to this place in life where I offer my thanks... And my thanks is truly all I have to give Him in return for all He has given so freely to me. So today I bow before him, possessing nothing that has not come from His loving hands, to give my thanks with all its depth of meaning. Thank you... my Lord and my God. Thank you for loving me... for loving us.

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