Giving Thanks and Trusting God to be God

Dear Friends,

Some three thousand years ago, the Jewish people formulated blessings for every circumstance of life, good or bad. If the news was good, they’d say, “Blessed be he who is good and does good.” If the news was bad, they’d say, “Blessed be the judge of the truth.” The Jews believed humankind had a duty to pronounce a blessing on the bad in life as well as the good, “…because all life came from God.”

But that’s not news to us, is it? The idea of giving thanks in good and bad times, for the whole of life—not just for what we each value or like, but also for what we fear, despise or hate about our lives—isn’t surprising news to Christians, is it? In his last letter to the Philippians, his last words before he dies, St. Paul instructs believers, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.” The night before he dies on the cross, our Lord gathers over supper with his friends and gives thanks to God.

Each Sunday, when we lift bread and wine at the altar, we give thanks for the whole of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. We celebrate his total life, the victories and the defeats. Alongside his quiet, gentle birth, we give thanks for the violent crucifixion. We give thanks for the agony and doubt, as we celebrate the empty tomb on Easter morning. In faith we believe God is in all of it—the losses and the gains, the life and the death. As we give thanks for the whole—the good and bad—in faith, we are trusting God to be God.

I am giving thanks today for each and every community of faith in our beloved Diocese. As I visit our churches and see your faith in action, I feel very blessed. I am honored to share this journey of walking in love and gratitude with you. As we walk together, I trust we’ll shine the light of Jesus wherever we go. I see it in you.

This week, our clergy members that we have been blessed with in this Diocese are meeting at Camp McDowell for the annual Clergy Conference. I give thanks for all their rich ministries and for all those people and parishes that support our clergy. As we continue walking together in love and gratitude, may we always give thanks for all God has provided. As our prayer book says, “For minds to think, hearts to love, hands to serve…, We give you thanks, O Lord.”