Grace and Thanks

The moment I realized I hadn’t blogged yet this week, God gave me my topic. I was sitting in the spot where I have devotions. I can look through a glass door where I have a row of prisms. That morning not much light was coming through and the prisms were dark in color. I realized they were still beautiful.

And I thought, how like God that is! There is beauty when the sun is shining brightly and there is beauty when days are dim or overcast. Sometimes we have to look more to find the beauty, but it is there if we choose to adjust our view or perspective.

What perspective do we hold is a good question to ask ourselves as we approach the holiday season. A few years ago I read a book by Ann Voskamp called One Thousand Gifts that challenged me to be more grateful. For the year before Voskamp wrote the book, she kept a gratitude journal. She wrote at least three gifts per day – hence 1,000 gifts.

Voskamp uses a Greek word eucharisteo (pronounced you-cha-wrist-tay-o). It encompasses the Greek words charis (pronounced care-us) and chara (pronounced car-uh), the former means grace and the latter joy. It’s the word we get Eucharist from to refer to communion because Jesus used it during the last supper.

Luke 22:19 says, And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus knew what was coming..that his body would be broken and his blood spilled…and in the midst of it he still gave thanks.

Voskamp says the lesson from this is to see all, the good, bad, and in-between as grace. When we see all as grace (charis) and give thanks (eucharisteo), we then get a deep joy (chara). I pray that for you and me Friends! God Bless you this Thanksgiving.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Cindy

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash