Just Because

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 

Jesus, I belong to you.

I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.

Jesus, we belong to you. 

Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

CONSIDER THIS

I’m not a huge fan of all the Hallmark holidays that fill our calendars. It seems that those days are filled with obligations and preconceived notions of the correct way to celebrate. Perhaps they are not my favorite because they also seem to be tied to a coincidental and temporary increase in the price of flowers or candy or whatever else we’re supposed to buy for the one we love (yes, there is sarcasm in my voice). However, my favorite holiday is the “just because” day. You won’t find it on any Hallmark list, but if you want to make me happy, bring me flowers on a random Tuesday just because. Or perhaps take me to brunch after church just because. Or you can even drop a card in the mail for no reason other than to say hello. The reason I love a just-because gift is because of where it comes from. When we give a gift just because, it is one that bubbles up from a place of deep gratitude and not forced and it tells me how you really feel. When we give for no reason, it is because we know the real reason.

Rejoice always. I feel confident in guessing that you may not always feel like rejoicing. Is Paul saying that Christians are always supposed to be happy and walk around with rose-colored glasses? Maybe the question we should be asking is what we are using to determine our happiness. Is it our ever-changing circumstances or is it the ever-present love of Christ? When we only mark moments that have no pain or no challenges, we can train ourselves to think that there is a cause and effect when it comes to giving thanks. But in our lives, we need to remember to give thanks always.

In my home, I try to remember to thank my husband and my children when they do things to help out, especially if it’s a task that I typically handle. But if I only give them thanks when they do something for me, they might think they have to earn my love. If I only give them thanks when I am pleased with them, they might think that when I am disappointed, I no longer love them. But I rejoice because of who they are, not just what they do for me. So yes, sometimes I have to surrender a thank you when I would rather grumble, but it is through the thank you that they know I love them just because.

Pray continually. In his writings, the renowned preacher Charles Spurgeon said, “When joy and prayer are married their first-born child is gratitude.”¹ Thankfulness is a recurring theme throughout the Bible from the prophets to the kings to the disciples who wanted to pray like Jesus. In the Psalms, David wrote, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be in my mouth” (34:1 CEB).

This is God’s will for us. The Lord knows that gratitude changes us. Being thankful in all circumstances teaches us to have a grateful heart. It teaches us to look for the good in our lives and in other people. It creates in us a heart of compassion and love like Jesus. When we choose to be thankful, we choose to show our devotion to God for no reason because we know the reason.

THE PRAYER 

Lord, we give You our praise today, not because of our circumstances, but perhaps in spite of them. Thank You for loving us not because of what we can do for You, but because You simply love us. Help us love others in the same way. Amen.

THE QUESTIONS

In what ways have your circumstances affected your ability to rejoice and give thanks to God? How can you give thanks to someone else “just because” this week? Why do you think God’s will would include giving thanks, and how will that change the way you live this week?

For the Awakening,
Susan Kent 

NOTES

1. “Pray Without Ceasing,” The Spurgeon Center, March 10, 1872.

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