January 12, 2004
Gratitude
What can I offer God for such a great salvation?
If there is a God (and there is, believe me), He is the One who gave me my very life - the air that I breathe, keeps the nucleus of atoms held together, and allows this miraculous body (hey, I'm not bragging here) to function and live...if He has done all that - given me those gifts - is it not my completely natural response - and thus responsibility - to love Him and show Him gratitude? And wouldn't this be beautiful in private? Just between Him and I. Me telling my Father in Heaven: "Daddy (insert term of fatherly affection here), I love you so much! Thank you for all that You've given me."
Wow. I bet you that kind of communication actually pleases God. Imagine that - pleasing God, the Creator of the universe. Man, it almost seems trivial and inadequate (simply saying "thanks"), but even though it's a small thing, it's a right thing, and it's gotta make the Giver feel something.
Emotion. We sometimes overdo it and (conversely) sometimes we poo-poo emotions as if Christianity was strictly a tough-man's game. Hogwash. Emotions are what they are; and God gave them to us. It stands to reason that they play some role in our lives and relationship with God. Sure, I've seen weird stuff that's done in a "touchy feely" way that's gotta be in error (hence the "overdo it" part), but I get so turned off by believers who I think are swinging pendulum-like in error in their down-playing of emotion. Howza 'bout a lil balance? Some of our religion/relationship with God is just plain mystical, folks. Admit it. When we casually drop phrases like, "God led me..." or "...what God's telling you..." That's some intangible stuff, people! (I'm not building a case for experiential Christianity here... Our faith is based on fact; not feelings.) There is a little bit of subjectivity involved here. Deal with it.
Whoa! Off the soapbox. And now.
