Giving Thanks to God

Sermon by Lael P. Murphy

November 26, 1995

Psalm 100, John 14:11-17

The Psalmist's words ring out so clearly this Thanksgiving Day weekend: "Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into God's presence with singing." What a wonderful occasion it is when we can raise our voices in praise, as we did in the singing of "You Are the Way." Hymns such as this one enable us to give voice to our thanks for the wonders and powers of God as we lift up our hearts to the Creator and Redeemer we love.

 This can be an easy thing to do when we come together in a sacred place like this. The Sunday hour of worship-whether it be here or with another spirited congregation-helps us to fill our minds and our mouths with words of praise and spiritual reflection. But what happens when we leave this place? When Sunday turns into Monday and then into Tuesday and the pressures of the week begin to divert or fragment our attention? Where are the expressions of appreciation and thanksgiving in those moments?

 I do not think I am generalizing too severely to say that we live in very thankless times. Not only are the simple courtesies of life quickly disappearing, but so is a general sense of gratitude for life and living. When acts of violence and hatred cover the front pages of our newspapers; when soundbites about economic uncertainty and political upheaval fill the news programs which are sandwiched between advertisements that seek to sell us more and better products that we do not really need; in times such as these we are more likely to be overwhelmed by hopelessness and apathy, rather than lifted into a spirit of gratefulness. These stressors, heaped on top of the challenges that we face daily in our own personal lives, nearly shut out the possibility of thanking a loving God. Our "to do" lists often do not have the space for such a seemingly superfluous, and perhaps sentimental, activity. Going for an evening job or washing a load of laundry may be closer to the top of our list of priorities than a moment of prayer or devotion.

 So where does that put or spiritual lives? How are we giving thanks to God? And for what are we thankful as we go through our weekly activities?

 Last weekend the Young Adults Group wrestled with just such questions on a retreat in Vermont. For nearly two days, in group discussions and casual conversations, we talked about what it means to live faithfully in the nineties. While these discussions were approached from a wide variety of theological and psychological angles, the overriding theme centered around the challenges of being aware of God's presence in contemporary life.

And that is the topic I would like us to focus on this morning, particularly as we think about the presence of grace and gratitude in our lives this Thanksgiving weekend. In order to develop a sense of God's presence outside of these sanctuary walls, I believe it is essential that we take our expressions of thanksgiving and praise with us when we leave-not just for the material and emotional blessings with which our lives may be filled, but for the spiritual blessings as well. As in any other intimate relationship, we need to actively appreciate the love that God extends to us so that we can live amid such love on a continuous basis. Otherwise, if we save it for only Sundays, that is where it will remain: confined here, in this big building that is empty and dark in the middle of the night.

 Is that what God intends? I certainly do not believe so. For the God who is revealed to us in Psalm 100 is One who is eternally present and helpful, whose love is faithful and forever enduring, not limited by time or place. Be it the middle of the night or the middle of the week, God's presence is abiding and without constraints, reigned in only by the limits of our faith and trust.

 And so, our gratitude should be without limits as well, shaped by the many moods in which we experience God's presence in our lives, whether it be joy and delight, or awestruck incredulousness, or even lukewarm acknowledgement. The spirit of thanksgiving is one that can be continuous and varied, reflecting the individual nature of our faith and spiritual practice.

 This can be difficult, however, when our rational minds and our scientific, technological culture tell us that the mystery and limitlessness and reality of God is impossible, unprovable. How can we be thankful for something we are not even absolutely certain exists? Isn't that rather silly? Thomas Merton discusses this challenge to our faith in his inspiring and thought provoking work entitled New Seeds of Contemplation. Here he addresses the issue of mystery head on, stating that

 Faith does not simply account for the unknown, tag it with a theological tag and file it away in a safe place where we do not have to worry about it. . . On the contrary, faith incorporates the unknown into our everyday life in a living, dynamic and actual manner. . . Until [an individual] yields himself to God in the consent of total belief, he must inevitably remain a stranger to himself. . . because he is excluded from the most meaningful depths of his own being: those which remain obscure and unknown because they are too simple and too deep to be attained by reason.

 In this way, we see that not knowing for certain is no excuse for not yielding to God's love for us. On the contrary, the mysteries inherent in God's presence are what provide an open and ongoing invitation to explore the spiritual side of existence. They are what offer the means by which to discover not only God's abiding love in this world but also one's own true nature and person.

 Certainly one of the things I am most grateful for this Thanksgiving Day weekend is the fact that I am learning-little by little-to live in the realm of God's mysterious and abiding love and that in the process I have found more of my real self. It was in the back of this very sanctuary that I took my first steps in deeply trusting God's existence in my life. It took place nearly eight years ago as I struggled with the direction of my career-I was working in the corporate sector at the time. I felt pulled to put my faith and relationship with God at the center of my work and lifestyle instead of on the side, away from the heart of my daily routine and choices. At one of those Sunday services I wrote in my journal the following words:

 I don't know how the momentum will continue, don't feel as though I've been moving at all. But here in the back pew once again, I feel more pieces falling into place. . . It is here that I loosen the grip and forget myself so that I can feel the love and purpose fill me again. . ."Let yourself be lost for my sake," says Jesus in the scripture reading today. And so the momentum continues, quickens. I hear the challenge running through my mind: "Keep letting to, Lael, keep letting go."

 Letting go of and even losing ourselves can be a difficult thing to do in a day and age when personal control and material possession are so highly valued. But I believe-and personally know-that the gains of such loss are immeasurable. This is what Jesus is telling us and the disciples in this morning's Gospel lesson. In the strong and potentially controversial passage that we heard from the fourteenth chapter of John, we hear Jesus speak confidently about the need to follow him to our parent God, stating boldly: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life."

 While this statement and the verses at hand can easily be used in more conservative Christian arguments to exclude and condemn people of other faith traditions, I would like to focus on their elements of love and leadership. For in these words lies not a door to be slammed or a gate that must be strictly guarded, but rather an invitation and welcome made by none other than Jesus himself. It is in these words that he openly and lovingly leads us to God, showing us the way that he has cleared with his life.

 Now it is important to note here that this passage directly follows what might well be called Christ's farewell address to his disciples. That is why Jesus begins by calming their fears, telling them not to be troubled. The group is visibly agitated by the news that their teacher and leader will be leaving soon, departing not on a short, or even long journey, but rather leaving them by way of death. Let us imagine ourselves in a similar situation for a moment: A dear and loved person in our lives has just told us right out of the blue that they will be leaving us forever in a matter of days, hours even. They speak to us gently, reassuring us that it is for our own good as well as theirs, speaking of the benefits of this new arrangement.

 Now I do not know about you, but if I heard news like this from someone I loved and on whom I depended I would be floored. I would be full of questions and complaints. The shock of the news would make me come out with something like, "You've got to be kidding!" before I could come up with any detailed or logical questions. And that is just what we get from Thomas midway through this passage: two very serious, yet defiant, statements. Good old Thomas, the doubter who would not believe that Jesus had been resurrected until he could put his fingers into the holes of his Teacher's crucified hands. It is this Thomas who simply and straightforwardly replies to Jesus' disturbing news. He says: "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" It is these sentences that are what lead Jesus to state so clearly, "I am the way, the truth, the life."

 If Thomas, who spent three years learning from, living with and working beside Jesus, could ask such a seemingly simple yet deeply complex question, can't we ask the same-and even more? I believe we can, and the way that Jesus responds to Thomas is what assures me of this fact. Jesus does not throw up his hands in despair and exclaim, "Oh, for heaven's sake, Thomas, where have you been? Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?" On the contrary, Jesus' answer, while simple and succinct, is deeply respectful of Thomas' concern and responsive to his needs. It lays out the process by which the disciples are to come to know God, and that we, as hearers of these words nearly two thousand years later, can rely upon as well.

 For when Jesus states that he is The Way, I believe he is referring to the fact that humankind's reconciliation with God must take place on an individual basis as he has demonstrated. In all of his teaching and preaching, Jesus laid out the need for men and women to develop a personal relationship with God as their creator, sustainer and redeemer. He taught that the old, rigid rituals were insufficient while showing how dynamic and miraculous God's love in the present can be. Jesus continually stressed the need for us all to take responsibility for our actions-past and present-through realistic yet loving assessment and discipline, and showed us that forgiveness is a possibility for everyone. By the grace and power of God, Jesus taught us the way of love and sacrifice, giving his own life that we could learn the power of these truths.

 Now that is something to be thankful for! Not just here, this moment as we all sit together, but later this afternoon and this week as well. For Jesus shows us the way to live in God's presence and plan, even in this complex and technological time of history. Even when our faith and understanding are riddled with questions, as was Thomas', Jesus still shows us the way, patiently and with respect. Through his teachings and all of the examples we have of his loving, generous and miraculous actions-not to mention his forgiving and compassionate nature-we are able to find our way in this world.

 So this, my friends, is the good news today: that God wants us close, no matter how unworthy we may feel, or full of questions we may be. God's presence in our lives is continual and everlasting, even when the challenges or troubles in our lives take up nearly all of our attention. Like the words of the sacramental hymn of baptism that we sang earlier, we can celebrate life, knowing that through the way that Jesus laid out for us we are transfigured, converted, reborn. This is the good news of Christ's Gospel, as it was explained to the disciples and is made known to us today. So let us "Make a joyful noise to God" in this time of thanksgiving. Let us "Worship God with gladness" today and for all our days to come. Amen.