Dayenu revisited


Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.
If you concentrate in what you don’t have,
you will never, ever have enough. –Oprah Winfrey


Hi, my name is Heidi—and I admit it: I am a bit of a Seder junkie. In a good way. I just really, really appreciate learning more about the holidays and traditions of faiths not my own.

The Passover Seder is especially intriguing because as a Jew, Jesus celebrated Passover his whole life. So by learning more about this holiday, I am learning more about Jesus. (Plus—the desserts are yummy.)

This past week, we again attended an Interfaith Passover Seder meal at a local Jewish temple, along with 440 other curious individuals from various denominations. We asked the Four Questions (Why is this night like no other night?), awkwardly sang and prayed in Hebrew, and sampled the traditional, symbolic foods of the Seder. We came away feeling like we had participated in something special, and like we knew a little more about Jesus the Jew.

And we also learned about dayenu. Dayenu captures the idea that God is so generous, so gracious that God provides so much more than we need—even when less would have been enough.

Where in your life has God been generous beyond your expectations?

Pause now to give thanks—maybe even when the only reason you have to be thankful is that you made it through another day. And this week, as much as you are able, reflect on the idea of dayenu. It would have been enough for God to deserve my gratitude. Dayenu.

(This week, I invite you to reflect, each day, on some way when you have been aware of the extravagant generosity of God, occasions when what you received was dayenu.)

Monday, April 15 Dayenu. It would have been enough if


Psalm 118:22-24

Tuesday, April 16 Dayenu. It would have been enough if


 Genesis 2:4-7

Wednesday, April 17 Dayenu. It would have been enough if


Psalm 139:1-12

Thursday, April 18 Dayenu. It would have been enough if


 Jeremiah 1:4-8

Friday, April 19 Dayenu. It would have been enough if


 2 Corinthians 8:7

Saturday, April 20 Dayenu. It would have been enough if


 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Sunday, April 21 Dayenu. It would have been enough if


Acts 17:22-25

Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don’t need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity. Amen. --Adam Hamilton

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