Another
way we should respond to God’s gifts is by taking the time to appreciate their
details. That is modeled in scripture and ratified by human experience.
Scripture
provides multiple examples. Consider the Israelites’ response to the parting of
the Red Sea. Exodus 14 describes the tight spot they were in and how
God delivered them. Exodus 15:1-21 describes their response: they recalled
the details of what God had done, looked forward to the possibilities it opened
up, and heartily praising God. We see a similar pattern in 1 Samuel 1 and 2. Hannah was going through humiliating times, sought God’s
help, and He delivered her. She too responded by appreciating the details of
what God had done and praising his very nature. 1 Samuel 2:1-10. That pattern is also illustrated in the
circumstances of John the Baptist birth. John’s parents went through prolonged
barrenness before his miraculous birth. Luke 1:2-25, 57-67. His father responded by detailing what
God had done, looking forward to what those events could mean, and praising
God’s nature. Luke 1:67-79. There is a common pattern in those responses,
and the fact that scripture records it multiple times suggests that God really
wants us to notice it.
The
importance of that response is confirmed by our human experience. Think about
times you helped your child out of a jam or gave her a gift. What pleased you
the most? It was likely your child’s savoring the details of what she received
and acknowledging that you were its source. My guess is that the same things
bring the most pleasure to God. After all, He is our heavenly father.
So what are
the nuts & bolts of how we do that? We’ll consider that tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment