Earlier this week, in a conversation with someone from our church family, I was reminded by their good practices of being intentionally thankful. As some of you know, I presided over the funeral of a longtime friend, my college roommate, on Sunday. And while away for that, here at First Bonita many of you offered yourselves to Frank Gaylord’s family and one another in a memorial and reception for him. Add to that some personal not-fun health weirdness, the anxiety of entering the holiday season, and the stress of it all messing with my sleep just for good measure and… well, the reminder to be intentionally thankful was timely.
In my attempts to refocus on gratitude – because even in the midst of you-name-it, I have so much to be thankful for – I was reminded of a hymn often connected with Thanksgiving: “Now Thank We All Our God”. I’ve been listening to it, basically on repeat here and there the last few days. Music is something I am so thankful for, and often is one way peace pierces you-name-it.
Two thoughts from this prayer, this hymn:
The song opens with the words, “Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices”. I’m grateful for the reminder that we all can thank God “with heart and hand and voices”. A reminder that there is no one right way to thank God, but that through our unique giftedness, our unique experiences, our unique situations, there are ways to thank God if we are willing to do so.
I am also thankful for the reminder of the closing words of the hymn: “the one eternal God, whom heaven and earth adore; for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.” I don’t think that line has ever hit me as it did today. I take comfort in the promise that the one we worship, where we put our trust is eternal, is beyond all the temporal you-name-it that the world can muster. For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore. Amen, and amen.
Grace and Peace be with us.
-Ben
