One the best gift anyone can receive is the gift of a relationship with another person. This is especially so when that someone is a loving, generous, kind, gracious, forgiving, supportive, nurturing, strong, loyal, sensitive and confident person. And if you have more than one person in your live that has several of these qualities then you are truly blessed. And if you have someone with many of the qualities that you know intimately then you are adding blessings on blessings. Add to these human relationships a deep, intimate and meaningful relationship with God and you have a wonderful existence indeed.
Have you been paying attention to the people who are closest to you? Have you noticed their love, care and support? Have you thanked God for the blessing they are in and for your life? We often fail to recognize just how much these people mean to us and how much of a rare and special gift they are. We often forget to look around us to see the people that nurture and care for us. When life is busy or too routine we forget to pay attention to those who care for us, who are there for us. I know I am guilty of this on a far too regular basis. Everyone needs to know that their efforts make a difference especially those we love.
What is true for my relationships with others is also true of my relationship with God. Sometimes I take for granted that God is there and that God cares. I just expect it. I don't notice all that God does for me and I sure don't share my appreciation for the gift of our relationship. It’s like God is required to love me so why does it matter if I say “thank you” or not? While this may be true (I believe that God loves all creation equally, all people without regard to religion, belief system or life choices) it still is important to say thank you to God because it means you are paying attention, that you understand how much God brings to your relationship. Telling God thanks means you are aware of all that God means to you and that you know you are a more complete and better person for God’s being accepted into your life.
My basic theological take on why God decided to bring this crazy and often messed up universe into being is that God wanted to be more than what God was. And the only way to be more was to be in a relationship with another. So God had to create something that was truly, completely other and then allow this other to have freedom of choice so that they could choose to be in a relationship with God. Now the surprising thing is that whether the other choose to be in relationship or not, God would become more than what God was because God would have another. We were created for relationship with God and with one another. A human being cannot survive completely by itself. After a certain period of time they will just stop caring and die. The length of time someone can exist totally alone varies but if left alone, without companionship you will die.
And I know that the better the relationships one has the better life is. Quality relationships guarantee that you will have a quality life. Notice that I did not say an easy life. Nothing can bring about an easy life. Life is hard. And life is too hard to live alone. So the more quality relationships you have the better equipped you are for having a full life. And if you have a quality relationship with God that makes your life even better, something more.
Jesus commanded us to love one another. Jesus told us that all that God wants from us is to love God, love ourselves and love our neighbors. Said in a different way, Jesus has requested that those who claim his name and want to follow his path will be in meaningful, deep and intimate relationships with one another and with God. He taught us that all God wants from us is to be in a deep, meaningful and intimate relationship with God, ourselves and others. As the scribe said to Jesus (Mark 12:33) quality relationships, loving each other and God, are "much more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices" we could ever bring to God.
Faithful people make a point of recognizing those people that are important to them and who love and care for them. They also thank these people for being there and for caring. Thanking the people in our lives for their love and care is important. They are the ones that will see you through. Those we care about, those that care about us, those we love, those that love us, those that nurture us and those we nurture, those we support and those who support us, those people that help us not only survive but thrive are the people that bring us life. They are the ones that see us through, hold on to us, and push us forward. They are the ones that give meaning to our days. So say "Thank you!" to them. Show them you appreciate all they do and are for you. They are the true treasure in your life.
So we celebrate all the people who make up our lives. We offer prayers of thanksgiving and praise for them. We promise to thank them for being there and for caring. We also celebrate our relationship with God, all the ways we experience God, all the ways God is known in our lives. We offer a prayer of thanks to God for being with us, for caring for us and for loving us. We celebrate as well all the opportunities we have to share love and show our love to those we don't yet know or don't know well; especially those Jesus calls our neighbors.
So remember to say thank you to the ones that love you. They are the ones that will see you through. And don't forget to include God in your thanks. Faithful people say thank you!
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