Thank you!
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
How many smiles, hugs, tears, and polite nods have these two words elicited in the world? I would imagine many! I believe every language, dialect and tongue has a word for it. Thank you- English, Danke- German, Asante- Kiswahili (East Africa), Xiéxié- Chinese, Dankie- Afrikaans, Zikomo- Chichewa (Malawi), Weebale- Luganda (Uganda)
(Sssh….google helped, don't tell anyone).
These words depict happiness, generosity, humility, gratitude, kindness, celebration and character among many other things. Being thankful has become one of my greatest gifts because by saying thank you I have seen change in my life and healing when nothing else would.
It is easy to say thank you when something new happens, a gift is given, a service is offered. You get the job, good news from the doctors; but what happens to our hearts when everything's the same, when there is nothing new, just the plain mundane of life? Ecclesiastes, a book in the Bible, shows the emotional turmoil that this writer experienced and I believe we have all gone through or are going to experience. “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NRSV
I believe I recently experienced this state of dissatisfaction in my life. I can compare this feeling to a windless day, when the air just sits there, in an uncomfortable, restless state, all is well but at the same time all is not well. I tried singing for a while but then this feeling was much greater. Not the best state to be in.
Then I listened to a sermon and everything changed, the blanket lifted, the rays of sun were permitted through the gray sky, when I re-learned to be grateful. The sermon was speaking on “building altars” as the Israelites did long ago to commemorate the Lord's doing, and generations afterwards would ask, What is that for? The faithfulness of God would once again be shared. For example, they would say, This was when we crossed the Jordan river; Jacob would say, This was when I returned home safely. Those altars were a remembrance.
As I listened to the sermon, the word that came to mind was gratitude. Gratitude reminds me of my inadequacy; at the same time my eyes shift to God. To know all I am and all I will ever be is because of the Lord, His loving mercy, goodness, faithfulness towards me. To be like the writer of Psalm 136 which is a journey of remembrance all starting with the mention of God’s character, His being and His doing; creation and all the victories the Lord had brought to the Israelites. (Read for context)
How would your own Psalm 136 be if you are giving thanks for who the Lord is and what He has done in your life? Mine would in part be:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of Lords: His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1-2 Who has redeemed me from sin, His love endures forever. Who has provided my every need, His loves endure forever. The lifter of my head, His love endures forever. Who gives rain in its season, His love endures forever, who places the lonely in families, His love endures forever. Who gives good gifts to His children, His love endures forever….. . “He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” Psalms 136:25-26 NIV
Maybe you are already in the habit of being grateful, keep it up! And teach others to do the same. Maybe you are like me, this is new or maybe you are out of practice. A great level of humility in us comes when we say thank you. Not just being polite because it’s the right thing to say but when we are truly grateful coming from reflection and from counting your blessings. Because even when it seems like nothing is happening “you will be surprised what the Lord has done.”
I am going to encourage you to read Psalm 136 and also to write your own version of the same. May God’s joy overflow within you as you and I learn or re-learn to be and to say Thank-you, Asante, Xiéxié, Danke….to one another and especially to Our Father in heaven.
Reflect
Read Psalm 136.
Reflect on your own life and write your own Psalm.
Share this with someone as the Lord leads you.
About the author: Ruth is passionate about helping facilitate healing for people lost in addiction. Through discipleship and counseling, she has seen many individuals in Kenya and elsewhere in the world find freedom in Christ. She is an All Nations field worker based in Nairobi, Kenya under the Kampala hub.
Ruth’s testament of Jesus’s victory in her own journey of healing from addiction can be viewed and purchased at https://amzn.to/2YF9ci0.
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