Thank You Notes

Psalm 138; 2 Corinthians 4:15-16

Consider these two scripture lessons thank you notes. Both the Psalmist and Paul stop to offer thanks to God. They each have good reason for thanksgiving. As we reflect on these thank you notes, I trust we will all find something that resonates with our own thanksgivings as we prepare for our feast tomorrow.

The Psalmist knows that everything he has and everything he is exists because of God. The entire prayer hinges on v.3—

On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.

He sought the redeeming presence of God, and he found it. Everything else flows from that singular experience. Go a bit deeper and the prayer becomes even more profound. What God gave him was strength of soul—God shored up his spirit. It does not say that God gave any sort of tangible gift. It does not say that God healed him. It does not say that God granted a wish. It says God strengthened the deepest piece of this person. God gave him something far beyond any thing; God gave him the ability to face life as it is with hope, confidence, and grace.

As we scroll back through the past year, recollecting the blessings for which we are thankful, I think we will find we have much in common with the Psalmist. We, too, have made it through our fair share of troughs, ditches, and glitches on our way to tonight. We, too, have found grace to overcome things we thought might linger forever, staining our hearts and minds. We, too, have touched compassion that enabled us to continue to coexist with challenging human beings, troublesome relatives, and a whole host of stresses, tensions, and corruptions.

The Psalmist continues his thank you note by noting that it is this especial grace of God that brings even the most powerful to their knees in worship—or ought to. Any human power is but a vestigial shadow of the power of God. No matter how selfishly, self-servingly, or self-righteously we inflict our will one each other, God overcomes. God stands with the Least of These, and as God stands with them, God stands with all of us. A wise leader will always note this truth. They will not fall into self-delusion of thinking their power is their own to use as they please. Instead, they will always acknowledge that any power they exercise is a gift from God, and the truest, strongest means by which to continue to stay in a position of leadership is to exercise that power in accord with God’s own ways and means. In short, they will lead by love. Realizing the absolute dependence they have on grace, they will be gracious with all who look to them for guidance, help, protection, and service. 

What a marvelous idea to communicate t0 any and all of our elected officials!

The Psalmist ends his thank you note by looking ahead, realizing that he can do so without fear, doubt, or anxiety. As God has been with him to this moment, so God will be for every moment, on into eternity. The future loses its power to manipulate our present. We can exist here and now, undistracted by what’s coming around the bend. We can focus on the people before us without worrying what the consequences will be. When Peppermint Patty feared the coming end of the world, her friend, Marcie, reassured her with the certainty that it was tomorrow in Australia. Her point was simple—God is already in tomorrow—it is taken care of for us, so we need not fear today. 

St. Paul writes in a similar vein as he pens a thank you note to his Corinthian congregation. Remember that this church was not the easiest for him to pastor. They fought with each other routinely, threatening schism at every turn. They fought with him again and again, seemingly intent on making his life utterly miserable. Yet, he sees it all as a fount of grace. Everything he endures with them and for them happens to more fully reveal God’s grace—God’s power to redeem any situation, any happening, and any relationship. The more people who get to experience grace, the more thanksgiving rises within them. So, all the trouble, all the conflict, and all the bickering is not really evil—troublesome, yes; better not present, sure; irritating, completely; but in no way, shape, or form a thwart to God’s grace, mercy, and compassion to redeem. Hence, the truest, best expression we can offer to God is no less than pure, unadulterated thanksgiving.

That is something all of us need to remember all the time in this conflicted time of ours. For all the worry, fretting, and concern it fires, it also spurs more and more grace—and more and more reason to forever give thanks to God. That offers us a tremendous freedom from all the editorializing we endure each and every day—there is no lack of pundits determined to stir us up over everything from the utterly trifling to the truly profound—it is no good unless it spurs a donnybrook of conflict, retribution, or all out fighting. I think there are times when a TV producer’s greatest dream really is to see the furniture flying all around a program set. No, we are freed from all that. God is good and grace abounds. There can be reconciliation. There can be reunion. There can be recouping. There can be real and actual hope for a better day. 

And that is where St. Paul ends his thank you note—with a complete affirmation of faith in God to bring the dawn of a new day. God never ceases to create. God never ceases to bring to fruition all the promises found in the created order. God never ceases to bring us fully into being the children of God that God meant for us to be. What astounding grace. What astounding reassurance. What a gift!

The good news that gathers us together this night is that nothing has changed from Paul’s context and time—God is still the God creating, shaping, and forming us as God’s people. God has not abandoned God’s work. God has not abandoned us. The gift is still ours today, tonight, and always. 

Hear and believe this good news. Let it fill your heart. Let it take hold of your minds. There is so much for which to be thankful every day, every hour, every breath.

Write your own thank you notes to God as you gather to share the feast tomorrow. I know there is more than enough to fill the pages of your gratitude.