That's gratitude for ya!


i thank you god for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
--e.e.cummings


There is a story in the Bible (Luke 17:11-19) about ten people with a horridly disfiguring skin disease who cried out to Jesus, begging to be healed. In essence, he tells them: Go now, straight away, and show yourselves to your priest. And on the way, as they walked or ran or galloped, their sores were healed.

Can you imagine?

It must have been a little like time-lapse photography, as the natural healing process was accelerated. Imagine staring at your hands and watching the sores disappear! My mouth drops open just thinking about it.

The truly amazing part: only one of these folks took the time to run back to Jesus and give thanks.

Oh, I know there are soccer games and church luncheons, so many things that keep us busy, busy, busy. How often are we stopped, gob-smacked by God’s beauty or glory or grace—and simply cannot help ourselves? How often does the immenseness of the Almighty leave us dumbstruck? (Not often enough, I would imagine.)

My prayer for you this week: May God absolutely blindside you with evidence of God’s presence in your life; and may you respond as the tenth man did: with adoration and praise out loud. Amen.

(Not all good words come from Scripture. 
This week, e.e.cummings’ words are your meditation starters.)

Monday i thank you god for most this amazing day;

Tuesday  for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky;

Wednesday and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes

Thursday (i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday;

Friday this is the birth day of life and love and wings and of the gay great happening of the illimitably earth)

Saturday how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any-lifted from the no of all nothing-human merely being doubt unimaginable You?

Sunday (now the ears of my ears awake and the eyes of my eyes are opened)

Make a joyful noise to God all the earth;
Sing the glory of God’s name; give to God glorious praise!

(Taken from complete poems 1904-1962)




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