Reflection: Defined by thank-you

Some cultures have no words for please and thank-you.

That’s not us.

Say you and I are Old Testament Israelites, as described above, chosen and rescued by God.

How could gratitude not define who we are?

How could thank-you not be our life orientation?

How not ooze out of our pores 24/7?

That it be a way of life, God set up precedents in practical acts of worship:

• We confess thank-you for who God is through the creed.
• We rehearse thank-you for what he’s done in liturgy and song.
• We say thank-you for forgiveness and peace through sacrifices of spilt blood.
• We chew and swallow; we celebrate thank-you in holy meals.

The same image crosses over to the New Testament: how can you and I not but thank?

Our whole life is a sacrifice of grateful worship in response to being cherished and rescued.

And we establish that orientation with practical habits:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:16-17, ESV)

No wonder God is so offended when his people are self-righteous, unbending and ungrateful. It’s deadly, your hollow worship.

I hate your celebrations and all the solemn candles and carry-on of your services.

Your ‘sacrifices’—pats on the back, they stink.
Mute your mics. I have no interest in your impressive music teams and instruments.
But authentic worship… justice and righteousness, that is life-giving. (Amos 5:21-24, Author’s paraphrase)

Your passionate self-sacrifice, Lord Jesus; my redemption. Breathtaking!

[reflective pause] In what way does “thank-you” define me?

Prayer:

We give Thee but Thine own,

Whate’er the gift may be;

All that we have is Thine alone,

A trust, O Lord, from Thee.   (Hymn by William W. How)