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| The River Raisin in Monroe |
Today I awoke with a feeling of gratitude for life. For life itself, on its own. Just to have life, to have another day to be.
I often feel this way. When I first met Christ 44 years ago a transcendent gratefulness was deposited in my soul. Life poured into me resurrected my heart from death, and has never left. Let all the living read Ephesians 5:15-16, which says:
5 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Today I want to live wisely. Today is a day of opportunity, a chance to live in a certain way. For this I am thankful.
The object of my gratitude is God. I can thank the farmer for the food I eat. I can thank the techie for the computer I am writing this on. I can thank you for reading this. But this morning I am thankful for the life I have, for my very existence and being, and the only possible object of my gratitude for this gift can be God.
If God did not exist, then this thankfulness I feel would be absurd. On the non-existence of God there is no way, there is no path, and there is no Giver of life. How inconsequential to thank the penny for turning up "heads."
Today I will meet problems. Thank you, God, for the opportunity to make the most of them. Choices lie ahead of me, today. Help me, God, to choose wisely. Thank you for choice-making ability. Thank you for libertarian free will (that ability to choose which is not fully reducible to antecedent causal conditions).
Today I get to help some people. I will be with people today. It's another day with Linda. Another day, by God's grace, on this earth and within his created order, which amazes me with its intricacy, beauty, and transcendence.
I will savor this day, rejoice in it, and give thanks. Praise God from Whom, ultimately, all blessings flow!
