Sunday, April 8, 2012

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Dear Lord,

I am so overwhelmed right now, and so overcome with humility and thankfulness. Saying “thank You” is nowhere near enough. Because I know I don’t deserve the blessings You’ve given me. And how fitting that this experience, this prayer is happening on Easter morning!

Father, we define Your grace as “unmerited favor.” This morning, I am fully aware that the huge gift You gave my family this weekend is totally and completely unmerited. I can’t speak for my husband or my children, because of course I think they deserve every happiness and blessing. But speaking for myself, I know that I do not deserve a gift like this. But somehow, Father, in Your unfathomable Love, You always manage to show me just how unconditional Your Love is in the most amazing ways.

For one thing God, I know that my children would not even be here if not for Your grace. I was going through such a tough time of depression, anger, and isolation from You . . . it’s not as if I can say that I was like Hannah, praying with an unwavering faith as I asked for a child. No, You decided to bless me with two beautiful, healthy children DESPITE MY LACK OF FAITH. What is that? Why do You do that?

Why did you do that again for me, for my family? To be honest, my faith has been lacking. I’ve even consciously thought to myself, “God will never bless us like that.” But then, Lord, You did. You answered my prayer that was offered to You with only a mere mustard seed-sized faith. Perhaps even smaller. It’s almost as if You saw my heart and said, “Okay Jessica, I’m going to prove you wrong again. Let me just show you how much I love you, despite your shortcomings and even your failures. Nothing you could ever do, say, or think will ever lessen the unending love I have for you.”

So, God . . . thank You. I can now shout from the rooftops without any reservation that the One True God is a God of love and grace, and that He always gives good gifts to His children. And thank You for this glorious Easter morning, and for what it means. We are filled with joy and hope because of Jesus’ death and resurrection!

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? . . . For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation [not even ourselves], will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~ Romans 8:31-32, 38