Now that I grow a garden, purposely for the sake of sustenance, I read the Bible in a new way. Much of the language and analogies are agrarian. We often thank God for our existence in terms of the breath we wake up having but rarely in terms of the nourishment He provides for the continual working of our inner parts. Or for the nourishment of our souls through the friendships in which we partake. The Biblical authors were constantly praising God for they were aware of His constant grace toward them in sustaining their lives.
I feel that humans are very removed from the process of grace in every moment. Their thankfulness is only for the end result and I can understand how one would tire of thanking God for the same thing all the time. Salvation, shelter, food, friends: check, thank, and repeat.
When we look beyond the end result, suddenly the potential for our thankfulness explodes. The homeless man was able to get a bus ride to church and now we know him. He blesses our lives with songs of grace and joins in our feasts and we give him a ride back to the shelter and pray for the ability to see him soon. The rain that came yesterday kept the broccoli from wilting: we’ll have fresh veggies to aid our health. The delay of frost yielded an extra two lbs. of tomatoes: I will not have the worry of famine this winter. (Of course, I speak in Western terms. Elsewhere, many do have the burden of famine this winter because the rain didn’t come or the frost came early, etc.).
We exert an effort for very little. Is it any wonder then that we place very little credit at the feet of our Creator, and recognize Him even less? From food to friendships, our lives are so mechanized, there is not much real-ness remaining for which to be joyful or thankful.
Let me share something for which I will truly and deeply be thankful: the enabling of God to grow my food in a healthy way and eat it to maintain a healthy body and a healthy family. If S.510 passes Congress today, the ability to produce a living from growing that food will be greatly hindered and I may end up in jail if I try to do so (if you think this is crazy, I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, it’s already happening with frightening frequency thanks to the FDA’s massive abuse of power). So I am thankful today for this ability and freedom which may soon be gone. And I recognize that the only One who could save it is the One who has the power to change the hearts and minds of men. With the recognition that my life and my future is completely in His hands comes the recognition of true thanksgiving: a position of glad surrender at His feet: for what is, what has been and what will be.
I feel that humans are very removed from the process of grace in every moment. Their thankfulness is only for the end result and I can understand how one would tire of thanking God for the same thing all the time. Salvation, shelter, food, friends: check, thank, and repeat.
When we look beyond the end result, suddenly the potential for our thankfulness explodes. The homeless man was able to get a bus ride to church and now we know him. He blesses our lives with songs of grace and joins in our feasts and we give him a ride back to the shelter and pray for the ability to see him soon. The rain that came yesterday kept the broccoli from wilting: we’ll have fresh veggies to aid our health. The delay of frost yielded an extra two lbs. of tomatoes: I will not have the worry of famine this winter. (Of course, I speak in Western terms. Elsewhere, many do have the burden of famine this winter because the rain didn’t come or the frost came early, etc.).
We exert an effort for very little. Is it any wonder then that we place very little credit at the feet of our Creator, and recognize Him even less? From food to friendships, our lives are so mechanized, there is not much real-ness remaining for which to be joyful or thankful.
Let me share something for which I will truly and deeply be thankful: the enabling of God to grow my food in a healthy way and eat it to maintain a healthy body and a healthy family. If S.510 passes Congress today, the ability to produce a living from growing that food will be greatly hindered and I may end up in jail if I try to do so (if you think this is crazy, I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, it’s already happening with frightening frequency thanks to the FDA’s massive abuse of power). So I am thankful today for this ability and freedom which may soon be gone. And I recognize that the only One who could save it is the One who has the power to change the hearts and minds of men. With the recognition that my life and my future is completely in His hands comes the recognition of true thanksgiving: a position of glad surrender at His feet: for what is, what has been and what will be.
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