Thanks be to God

Most of you know by now that I've been going to a little Anglican church for about 15 months (when I'm actually in Fort Collins on a Sunday morning, which doesn't happen all that often.)  For those of you who didn't know that and have been wondering why you haven't seen me around at the previous church for awhile, sorry to break the news to you, in a blog, 15 months later. 

A couple of months ago, I ran into just such a person from my previous church who didn't know I had left and she seemed a little shocked when I told her I was going to *gasp* an Anglican Church.  She actually asked me straight up, "How do you reconcile your faith with going to a church like THAT?"

In hindsight, I probably should have asked her what she meant by that, but I assumed that she meant what everyone else has meant who's asked the similar question over the last 15 months - "Have you lost your mind?  Why would you leave an awesome non-denominational church for a liturgical church that has, worldwide, in recent times been fraught with all kinds of turmoil?  It's not too late to come back!  Jesus still loves you even though you have made this profound error in judgment."

It would take me a long time to answer this question in completion, and really nobody cares all that much anyway.  I think they're more just concerned that I am no longer following Jesus but am instead following a religion.  I'm grateful for the many friends who have visited my new little Anglican Church with me and have seen just how Christ-centered it is.  The invitation to join in worship with me on any Sunday is always there so you can see it too.

Today I am able to add even more to the answer of why I choose to worship at this season in my life in a liturgical church.

For those of you who have never visited one, just heard things about them, such as that no one who goes to a Episcopal, Anglican, Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian, or fill in the blank liturgical Church is a Christian because you can't possibly be a Christian if you go to a church where you say and pray the same things week after week and do things like observe Lent or go to confession, let me tell you about just this one aspect of the service that struck me so profoundly this morning.

Every Sunday there are at least two readings from Scripture, more often three, and a Psalm is read in unison.  So it goes Old Testament reading, Psalm said together, New Testament reading, and a reading from the Gospel.

After the OT and NT readings, the reader says, "The Word of the Lord." 

The congregation answers and says, "Thanks be to God."

We say it every week.  I've said it dozens of times since I've started going to Christ Our Hope.  There are plenty of times that I haven't really thought about those four little words as I've said them, but they really caught my attention today.

The OT reading was from Deuteronomy 28.  The chapter is towards the end of Deuteronomy after a whole bunch of laws have been given to the Israelite people.  I love Deuteronomy.  It's long been a favorite book of mine, though an odd choice I admit.  I love it because it captures both the compassionate heart of God to want to bless and prosper and cherish the ones He loves but also a very clear laying down the law that He is God and He is holy and that there is very much a distinction between Him and us and that by even breaking one of the various laws He's spelled out, we've proved to Him, to ourselves, and to everyone else that we will never live up to His standard.

That's why Jesus is such good news, because He reconciles the compassionate heart of mercy God has with God's heart for justice.  But I digress.

So Deuteronomy 28 starts out explaining all of the wonderful blessings that will come if the people just follow God.  They will be blessed no matter what - everything they do will be blessed! It's like God is giving them the Midas touch if they just obey Him.  It would be great to just stop reading right there, but then God goes on to give a list of curses, or all of the things that will happen if the people do not follow Him. 

It says things like, "At midday you will grope about like a blind man in the dark.  You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you."  And later on, it says, "The Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart.  You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life."

Well, that sounds really crappy.  I'll take the blessings for obedience, please, and how about you just turn a blind eye when I disobey, God, ok?

It was actually really uncomfortable to hear the curses for disobedience read.  But you know what was even more uncomfortable?

"Thanks be to God."

Wow.  Did I really just thank God for telling me about the awful ways my life is going to go down if I don't put Him first?  I think I did.  Hmmmm.

I'm all for thanking God for good things, but thank Him for bad things or hard things?  That's different.  There's no discrimination here, either.  It's not like we say, "No thank you, God" when we are read a passage that makes us squirm.  No.  We say "Thanks be to God" week after week because every part of His Word deserves examination and reception with a grateful heart.

In saying "Thanks be to God" after the Scripture is read, I'm basically saying, "I hear what you've said, God, and I thank you for saying it to me. I trust that you have spoken the truth to me, no matter how hard it is to hear it. I trust you, I surrender to you, I thank you for communicating so clearly to me through your Word."

Thanks be to God.

These four little words challenged me today about whether or not I choose not only to obey or disobey God, but whether or not I'm choosing to trust Him in spite of the uncomfortable things His Word has to say about sin, disobedience, hard circumstances, and heartache.

I'm so grateful for that reminder today because it hasn't been the easiest week, and grateful that it's a reminder I'll have again and again in the upcoming weeks and months whenever I say it.  There can be great value in repetition, when married with a thoughtful heart that pays attention to what's being said.

"Robin, I know the plans I have for you.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Thanks be to God.

"Robin, in this world, you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world."

Thanks be to God.

"Robin, you are to have no other gods before me."

Thanks be to God.

"Robin, I will never leave you or forsake you."

Thanks be to God.

"Robin, blessed are you when people say all kinds of evil about you on account of me."

Thanks be to God.

"Robin, I am near to the brokenhearted and I defend those who are crushed in spirit."

Thanks be to God.

"Robin, I have called you by name and you are mine. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned and when the rushing waters surround you, you will not be swept away."

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.