Thank You God! We’ve heard those words and we’ve said those words.
We know thank you makes room for more. We know that our thanksgiving to God can encourage others to do the same. But what if it was reversed? What if instead of us thanking God, God thanked us? I know, it’s a bit odd to consider, but hear me out.
We’ve had opportunity to be in despair, be hopeless, to grow weary in well-doing (2 Thessalonians 3:13), but God has shown up. Speaking of showing up, in Psalm 27 verses 13-14, David says I would’ve fainted (despaired, given up hope), had I not believed I’d see Your goodness in the land of the living. Not only did I believe it, I experienced You showing up. He then encourages us in verse 14 to wait for the Lord with confident expectation and that the Lord will strengthen us, while we wait.
Think about the last 24 hours and how you’ve seen the goodness of the Lord in your life. For one, we made it to another year (cue the Hammond B3). That in itself is evidence that God has been good! God kept us, protected us, comforted us. God loved us, blessed us and been faithful to us. Excuse me while I run around my living room!
On the flip side, what would happen if the cares of the world consumed us, such that every time something happened, we became overwhelmingly anxious? It’s not to say God can’t strengthen us, but it’s easier when we’re calm. When we wait on the Lord, recalling God did it before, it calms and reassures us that God will do it again.
That lends to the original question — what if God thanked us?
What if God thanked us for waiting, trusting and believing?
What if God thanked us for holding on, even when we felt our fingers slip?
What if God thanked us for not throwing in the towel and in some instances thanked us for throwing in the towel because it was raggedy and dirty anyway.
What if God thanked us and as a way to say thanks, didn’t just bless us, but favored us?
While God loves our praise and thanks, I also believe God lets us know we’re doing well. God told Jesus This is my Son in who I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). I believe God does the same for us, letting us know God is pleased.
We crossed the threshold into another year. That means we’ve seen God be God in so many great ways in 2024. And now with confident expectation we believe we are going to see God’s goodness and God is going to surpass that in 2025, no matter what!
Thank You God!
