Words of Thanks...Often Forgotten

Thank You, on this day of worship, for reminding me that whenever I say "I can't" I am actually (under the surface) saying, "I am too strong in myself to really depend on You in my weakness."

Thank You that before You do a thing, You speak it into being. Such is Your method since light began. Make us like You in this: people for whom talk is not a way of avoiding action, but rather a way of initiating it.

Thank You that when You leave a gap between word and action, You accompany it with the faith required to wait rather than leaving Your people to fret before You. Rather than leaving them fearing or fostering nameless regret without even knowing how they have offended You, You make Yourself clear if a chastening is given. But if the mystery of Your word is left without connection to any obvious failure (either accomplished or dreaded) You give reassurance. After the days passed between Your death and Your resurrected appearance to Mary, Your words to her were: "Woman, why are you weeping?" The obvious answer: I weep because of my lack of comprehension of the larger revelation You were giving back when things made natural sense in life. Then, it was only Your words that seemed strange and out of order. But now that You have accomplished Your foretold purpose, only those words You spoke make sense; and the rest of regular life seems out of order. Thank You for the promise that You will sustain us through that sort of transition, for it will surely come, considering how strange the words are that You've given us. Remind us that some prayers are met with silence because there is something wrong in them. Others are met with silence--or continued mystery--because our place in the thing You are doing is larger than our comprehension can receive. What a humbling place to sit. How can anyone help but rely on You in such a place? You speak of many blessings given to "the patient ones." May we walk in those words until You bring to pass everything You have spoken.

For these three, thanks be to God.