Give thanks.

Eucharisteo.

The meaning is to be grateful, to FEEL thankful, to give thanks. I bolded the word feel because that's the hardest word in that whole sentence. I am reading, almost finished with the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. She talks about Eucharisteo and giving thanks. Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle. When Christ fed the 5,000 He first gave thanks for the food. Then the miracle. 5000 empty bellies filled when it should have only been enough for a few. How could anyone give thanks for a few loaves of bread and couple of fishes thinking logically with a human brain and calculating that the meager portion would NEVER be enough for everyone? But then again, He wasn't using His human brain. He was using His faith.

How many of us would have expected to feed everyone? No one. How many of us look at the things given to us and think, "If only I had..." yet there always seems to be enough. Are we relying on our bank account or on God? What is more powerful? What has the influence in my life? In what/whom do I trust?

Giving our trust to God, our faith in Him is easy. We say it with our mouths all the time. "I trust in the Lord." Do we show it with our actions? In some ways, yes. Some areas of our lives are easier to give to God than others. We can tithe 10% no problem. But don't we still worry that we won't make ends meet? We thank God for our children and say that they are a gift from God. But we tell God, "That's enough. I've decided I don't want any more kids." We give up our social life to God and pray for a spouse. But we go looking in places where we shouldn't to find a mate. We pray "Thy will be done!" but we give God suggestions on HOW that will should be done.

When I say these things, I point the fingers at me. Why can't we trust in God? He made the earth. He made the universe. He made ME. He knows me. I can't fool Him, I can't bargain with Him. He loves me and wants what's best for me, but I can't see it. The devil whispers lies in my ear saying God is punishing you, God doesn't love you, did God REALLY say that? I can hear the same lies Eve heard repeated. God DOES love me. God ISN'T punishing us. God DID really say all those wonderful things and I can prove it so easily.....then why can't I live it out?

Giving thanks. That is where it begins and ends. Remember what the Lord has done. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." I only need to give God thanks for the good things, right? Nope. EVERYTHING. This is HIS will for ME. When bad things happen, find the thanks. Every day, every moment is a gift from God. However.....I'm human. I grumble and complain, it's in my nature. You read about the Israelites wandering through the desert, complaining all the time and think, "What, are they crazy? God parted the Red Sea right in front of you and you are complaining???" But we do it too. We've seen God work miracles in our lives, we've read, memorized, and even sang the promises over and over again and yet we grumble. We stress, we worry, we complain.

So these are my goals. Trust in God and give thanks. Easy peasey, right? Um, no. But, I do have this wonderful gift from God called the Holy Spirit living inside of me and through His power, I will endure, finish the race and overcome. A good friend of mine recently challenged me with this thought: if you were to wake up tomorrow morning and the only things in your life were the things you gave God thanks for the night before, what would your life look like? It's a sobering thought.

Thank you, Father for all you have given us. Thank you for Jesus Christ and His death, burial and resurrection for my sins. Thank you for providing for us. Thank you for family. Thank you for love. Thank you for everything in Jesus' name. Amen.