Gift

One of my favorite passages of scripture is found in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Very rarely in scripture does Paul, or anyone else for that matter, say this clearly: This is God’s will for you… But here it is. And it’s very simple – very spelled out. But by no means easy.

When we look at this a little closer we see that rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks are integrally linked. Rejoicing and giving thanks are prayers in and of themselves.

It is really an outlook on life that Paul’s talking about. And it is an outlook that implies a need to stop and notice – to look around. When I was writing this, I had to pause for just a moment and take my own advice. I was outside on my back porch and I noticed the birds singing, the cicada chirping, the morning sunlight streaming through the trees. By stopping and noticing and delighting in it, I felt an almost immediate upwelling of joy.

To rejoice is to take delight in, find pleasure in, revel in, to relish, to savor. Paul wrote this letter in Greek and the word he used is the word for rejoice is the word chara. Have joy. Chara comes from the root word charis which means gift.

If joy comes from charis, gift, then to rejoice is to be aware of gift: gift of life, gift of breath, gift of forgiveness, gift of reconciliation, gift of being able to get up in the morning; gift of the summer sunshine on my back. Gift.

To rejoice is to be aware that all of life is a gift. This moment is a gift. These people around me are a gift. The ability to communicate is a gift. My family, these friends – all gifts.

On this Thanksgiving week, I invite you again to pause and take note of the gifts that surround you. Perhaps create your own list. And then, may you give thanks and rejoice!

Let us pray: We thank you, O God, for our faith, for the strength, guidance, and courage we need to face the obstacles of everyday life. We thank you for friends and family and even strangers who do make the journey of life easier and more enjoyable. Today, help us to express our gratitude to them even as we express it to you: Thank you, God. Amen.