Friday, November 25, 2005
In Everything
1 Thes 5:18 - in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.That verse absolutely rang through my mind as I read this fantastic post from Life In The Slow Lane. Julana is discussing her Down Syndrome afflicted child
When I received the phone call from the nurse, I did not see my child as an object of the verb "to choose," but of the verb "to give." He was part of the given. In accepting the gift, and the limitations that would come along with it, I assented to the truth: a mortal life has many limitations, and a person in touch with Reality accepts them.What an incredible testimony! It made me think that in Christ there is no such thing as bad news.
Crying on the couch, back in February of 1994, I did not so much choose a mortal life for myself, as continue to accept one. And this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful, from the bottom of my heart, that I did.
This year as the holidays so appropriately begin by giving thanks, my thoughts focus on the death of my good friend Ken last May. There is an emptiness there and it hurts. But there is much to be thankful for. So many renewed relationships at the funeral -- people I had really loved and still do, time had simply allowed us to lose touch.
I am very thankful for getting to hug and hold his daughters, my nieces. It confirmed the love that all teenagers and young adults have but are just too cool to show. I am thankful for the great young women they have become.
We are not wise enough to know what God has in mind and when we do not thank Him for what He has given us, we presume to be smarter than He is. I am thankful that God is tolerant of me when I am so presumptive.
There is great freedom to be found in giving thanks, particularly for that which we perceive as negative. The freedom comes from the implicit acknowledgement that God is in charge, and that He will take care of me. Giving thanks is also about being reliant. Giving thanks to God for all things means that I rely on Him for all things. It is quite liberating to know that He will take care of it.
