Thankfulness Delight!

 

        Each time a child is born, we look for the physical features most resembling the parents or siblings.  More than thirty years ago our son brought his daughters for a visit, I saw that the younger daughter resembled most closely the photo of my Mom’s baby brother, hanging on the wall.  It was amazing to see the similarity to her Great, Great-Uncle.  I gave thanks for the living reminder of the mystery of God from generation to generation.

         We celebrated Thanksgiving last week and a flash of insight came.  Giving-Thanks is every day when we belong and follow Jesus. Thanksgiving is tying up in a huge red bow the beginnings of our original image.   So God created human beings in his own image. Genesis 1:27.  To become in the image of God – what does it take?

         Have you ever wondered just what that can mean?  A simple heartfelt Thank You is a sign of respect, friendship leading to a relational and deep understanding. ‘In the image’ shows delight and caring beyond a casual, if I must. It is a first-cousin to delight and praise and love.   In the image of God means sacrifice, love, and giving.  It takes constant and unending living – living creatively.

         The Message, Galatians 6:1 – Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

         These verses in this translation speak of living creatively.  To me, they also speak of living thankfully.  It speaks of humility, sharing and in need of forgiveness. 

         The Lord God is the One who created the universe that eloquently speaks to me of the loveliness in His creation.  A painter often paints valued art, choosing to –re-create that which the Lord God created.  I enjoy the swoop of the clouds, the intricate beauty of a flower, the constancy of glorious sunrises and sunsets.   

         The Gungor lyrics sing to me, You make beautiful things out of dust, You make beautiful things out of us. You make me new…in His Image!

         Thankfulness Dementia is when we forget the acts of kindnesses, prayers, caring friendships that we have received over the years from strangers, friends and family.

         We are unable to truly walk in another’s shoes, to know what they need unless we heed the nudge from the Holy Spirit within Who leads and guides us.  A teacher, I know, walked into another teacher’s classroom and hugged this teacher.  Years later the ‘giver of the hug’ had forgotten, but the recipient of the hug remembered years later.

         A family with three boys often wore ‘hand me downs’.  When the oldest boy acquired a new pair of shoes, the second boy, took the old pair of shoes and tried walking in his brother’s shoes.  He hoped wearing his brother’s old shoes would help him be more like his brother. 

         A new baby receives the delighted look of his parents and from God.  We, as babes in Christ, are looked upon by our Heavenly Father with delight magnified.

 

Comments? eacombs@att.net