This past week God has been showing me something really awesome. Really convicting. Much needed…(Like when you look in the mirror and you see you have pepper in your teeth, and you hate that it was ever there, but oh man are you thankful to see it and try and get rid of it). So…I return again to the place of thanksgiving. Back up the mountain I trudge. How did I forget that it is a practice?
practice |ˈpraktəs|
noun
1 the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use; • the customary, habitual, or expected procedure of something; 2 repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it
verb [ trans. ] ( Brit. practise)
1 perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency; • actively pursue or be engaged in (a particular profession or occupation)
what the heck have I been doing?
NOT practicing. NOT enduring. NOT actually applying. NOT “performing repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency”
Did I say it was hard? I think it is. I think the reason it’s hard for me is because when I give thanks I take my eyes off of myself and put them on Someone much, much greater than me. I take the glory (so hopelessly misplaced) off of myself and point it back to where it belongs. To its Origin. To Good. To God.
Goodbye navel-gazing, Hello God-praising.
This morning I read Ephesians 1:3-14. I really came to it in a cool way. A dear friend sent me an email with the words “praise God for this truth this morning,” followed by the verse…quite ironically, it was an email she sent me in order the THANK me for something.
Herein lies a magnificent truth…
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
This passage, which is chock full of splendid sincerity, states three times the phrase “to the praise of His glory/His glorious grace.” Coincidence? Of course not. Nothing in the Word of God ever is.
I want to seek this. To sniff it out and chase it down. To hunt it like treasure. “X” marks the spot and that “X” is thanks. Praise to the Father. Praise for His glory, His mercy, His grace. Praise to the Son. Praise to the Holy Spirit.
11 things I am thankful for in those 11 verses...
1. that I have been blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing
2. to be chosen by God and predestined in love for adoption through Christ
3. to have redemption through His blood
4. the forgiveness of my trespasses
5. to have His grace lavished upon me (lavished…WOW! What an awesome word! I would put it right up there with Tolkien’s love for “cellar door”)
6. for His making known to me the purpose of His will
7. that He wishes to unite all things to Himself
8. I have obtained an inheritance in Him
9. that I have been predestined according to His will
10. that I am to the praise of His glory
11. that I have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit
In these 11 verses, there are so many more reasons to be thankful. I pray that it will last beyond this hour, beyond this blog entry, beyond when the coffee shakes wear off, beyond myself.
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