Grateful!

thank you is
the flip side of fear
its antidote

unutterable 
thanks bubbling over 
wow! wow! wow!

grace welling
indwelling
dispelling 

fear—it flees
in the face 
of gratitude

You know that feeling: the joy that comes when something longed for, waited for, despaired of, suddenly shows up! You were afraid that it would never happen. You thought the worst was on its way. And then WOW!

It happened to me last week. There was not enough money in the account to pay the salaries of the Nyarafolo translation team (five men with families) after this month. Then WHOOSH! WHAT?    The unbelievable happened. Two amazing totally unexpected donations came in, far above what we thought possible !

Deep gratitude definitely washed over me. I kept hearing, over and over, the Father reminding me: “Getting out the Word to the Nyarafolo is my project, one I started, one I am getting finished.” It was as if he was saying, “Why were you so afraid? Just be thankful, and keep pressing on!”

It had taken months to get that answer to our prayers. It was definitely a walk of faith, building our trust in the One In Charge.

This poem on gratitude was written when we had been recently evacuated from Côte d’Ivoire due to civil war, twenty years ago. The future was a big blank. We had no home to settle into, and kept wondering what our purpose was supposed to be. When the Lord showed us pieces of his plan (we were not going to be homeless!) and purpose for each of us (seminary for me, ministry for Glenn, high school for Bryn), fear dissolved. We could only thank our Provider and Guide.

It’s true that often we forget to actually express our thanks, whether it is to God or to a person. That was underlined for me about three decades ago, when I asked my Nyarafolo Christian friends to give me a name. I was tired of hearing so many of them resort to “Madame” when addressing me. Why couldn’t they call me “Linn?” They said that my name was just too difficult to use. Well then, I insisted, please give me a Nyarafolo name! They had already given one to Glenn, “Kajuʔulosori,” which meant basically: “Words just exit/he doesn’t hold grudges!” I was waiting for a good name like that.

They consulted briefly, came to consensus, and my friend Saly came over to me to tell me I was now “Penyuɔnɛkuɔ!” “So what does that mean?” I asked.

“Well, it’s short for a longer proverb that assumes that when you’ve helped someone, they are successful and get what they want, but they will forget to say thank you!”  Saly said.

How was that a good name? I was startled. She saw my expression. “It’s so true,” she said. “That’s why it’s good.”

I began thinking about it. Situations in the Bible began to leap out in a new way, and I began to write “Penyuɔnɛkuɔ” next to them.

When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. (Hos. 13:6 NIV)

You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. (Deut. 32:18 NIV)

Our ancestors in Egypt failed to appreciate your miraculous deeds, they failed to remember your many acts of loyal love, and they rebelled at the sea, by the Red Sea. (Ps. 106:7 NET)

Do I remember what the Lord has done for me, bringing me this far? Do I take note of all the times in the past he has provided for the Nyarafolo translation project? Do I remember the way the funds came pouring in after there was that horrible fire in the office that destroyed so many resources and the wiring? And now, am I remembering to pour out my thanks to God for this amazing provision? How about the days when the Internet connects me flawlessly to my co-translator Moïse so that we can continue to work on translating Isaiah? (This is actually happening!)

I want to be the King’s daughter who is paying attention, one who sees his fingerprints on what is happening. I want to be the one who runs to him with tearful amazement, fear gone, gratitude pouring out!

It’s true that often people forget to thank someone for their gracious act of help—in the grocery store, or the hospital, or in the kitchen, wherever. Parents usually try to train their kids to say “thank you.” Sometimes it sticks.

As children of the living God, we need to train ourselves to give heartfelt thanks to him. We do it before eating our meals, but it seems that often it becomes a ritual recitation, not true gratitude. Jesus thanked the Lord before meals, and we should as well—but we should mean what we say.

And if we are paying attention to all that he provides, we can send up “flash prayers” of gratitude, anytime, anywhere.

O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart! I will honor your name continually! (Ps. 86:12 NET)  

He is training me in this—yes, it’s spiritual formation, this process of constantly maturing! A few nights ago I was driving home late at night in the dark. The freeway was being repaired, with lanes blocked and big orange cones everywhere. I nearly missed the exit I was supposed to take. So I slowed down, right-turn light flashing, ready to swerve in at the last minute, when a car suddenly whipped around me to the right and I almost hit it! I was so glad that what came out of my mouth was: “Thank you, Lord!” He was hemming me in, behind and before, and I noticed!

You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. (Ps. 139:5 NIV)

You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me. (Ps. 139:5 CSB)

I could have just been scared, or angry. But instead, the Spirit is changing my innate response to what it should be: gratitude. I am grateful.

As Chris McKnight says: “Christians are to thank God for creating and sustaining the world and for His ongoing redemption of it through Jesus. They are expected to pray to God privately (Matt 5:6) and thank Him for what He has done (Luke 17:12–19). The Psalms display individual prayers of thanks (Psa 69:30–36), and the New Testament includes individual thanks for fellow believers (Phlm 1:4). Thanklessness is regarded as a rejection of God, which leads to further sin and eventual judgment (Rom 1:21).

Ultimately, Christians are to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Col 3:17). From this perspective, all of an individual’s life in Christ—whether in worship, at meals, or otherwise—becomes an opportunity to offer thanks.”^[1]

When I help my grandson cope with a challenge, and he smiles and says “Thank you,” my heart is warmed and I feel our relationship glue getting yet stronger. Paying attention to what God is doing, acknowledging that it comes from him, strengthens my attachment to him as well:

“God is the giver and we are the thanks-givers. The circle is complete and it allows us to open yet a deeper part of our life where there is weakness and we acknowledge our dependence on God. God meets us at that point with another blessing and gift. His grace and help come into our lives. We recognize that he has met us and blessed us. We know that it is a gift of grace that he has brought into our lives, so we respond again with gratitude, praise, trust and faith. The circle is complete and the spiral of our life and experience with God continues to deepen and widen. Life begins to change, not because the circumstances are easier or less demanding, but because we begin to see them in a new light.”[2]

May we each be ready to open that deeper part of our life, realizing how dependent we are on God’s goodness—and noticing when he gifts us! We will indeed see things from a new perspective. Fear will be conquered by gratitude, and trust will be strengthened.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.  (Col. 3:15 ESV)

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^[1] Chris McKnight, “Thanksgiving,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

[2] Jay Sivits, https://thewell.intervarsity.org/spiritual-formation/developing-discipline-gratitude