Giving Thanks & Praise to God ... and Fitting Service
Given the impressive array of relationships in our lives, it can stagger the mind to consider the unique contexts and characteristics of them all. The term “love” probably applies to more of them than we would claim at first thought. And yet there are even more relationships that fully enrich our lives in contexts and with characteristics that fall far short of “love.”
In Christ, or course, there is love and then there is “love.” While the characteristics do vary greatly, the question of love relies most on the common, singular element of context: US. While love can require a relationship of genuine mutuality, our love in Christ, to be experienced and offered as gift only requires a perception within ourselves and a commitment within ourselves. Bad events and impatient or rude people can challenge our perception and our commitment, but they cannot hide or break that love that is ours, that love that first is Christ’s.
In God, as revealed in Christ, there is the creative Love which set the stage for a richness of Love possible in mutuality. On our part, however, sin did hide and even break that love. Even then, God’s Love does not withdraw. Though the potential for genuine mutuality was dissolved, God looked upon us still with Love. Over generations, God revealed as we were able to absorb, what it would mean to be truly open to and fully affected by Divine Love. We cannot do for God what God does for us. We cannot arrange the stars to please God nor are we truly capable of the fidelity to God of which God is capable. But genuine love is worthy of God.
As the thinking, free, loving humans God has designed and birthed, we can offer to God thanks, praise, and fitting service. It happens in the world we love, among those whom we love, and those whom we “love.”