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Give Thanks To The Lord


Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 106:1, 107:1) 

            I don't want to give thanks. I don't like giving thanks in the same old way for the same old things that I've been given every day of my life. To me, it is like those things a person says with the social requirement that the next person finish it: "God is good..." It's like those posts on social media, "if you love God, your country or anyone else, like or share...." or "If you aren't ashamed..., like or share or type _____" and if you don't like, share, or type whatever, you're proclaiming that you don't love and are ashamed. No, it's not that I'm not thankful, or don't love, or are ashamed. I just don't like empty, rote, soul-less responses provoked by someone or something "ringing a bell" or providing another Pavlovian stimulus. This is the traditional error.
            Mine is the modern error. I love to give thanks...when it comes from the depths of my soul, when I am moved.  It doesn't have to be something big. I have been known to give thanks for the moon reflecting off a car window. The reality is that I do want a Pavlovian stimulus, not one that makes my mouth water, but that makes my soul salivate. Modern thinkers would like to think that we are more authentic, more engaged than the traditionalist. In some ways, that might be true, but our focus is in the wrong place, too.
            Both focus on the stimulus. The traditionalist seems to respond to everything. Their "thank you note" is printed off by the score and handed in automatically. The modern doesn't want to write a thank you note unless they are "moved" and then they want to respond with a billboard, or an artistic masterpiece, something showy, not because they want others to notice, but because they are emoting. Moderns can't be thankful too often; it's too emotionally draining.
            Today's scripture suggests that giving thanks shouldn't be a response to a stimulus. It's a response to a Person who is always good and whose love endures forever for goodness and love that endures forever. True thankfulness probably should be like the worship Jesus described to the woman at the well: in spirit and in truth. It is a matter of attitude, and yet, the soul is more than the spirit. We're to love with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Our thankfulness should be no less.
            Lord, rescue me from Pavlovian gratitude. Awaken my soul to worship in spirit and in truth, with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Teach me to have an attitude of thankfulness that is alive and free, bound by truth and love, not ritual or whim.

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