Encouragement

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Proper Thanks
© 2009

by

Stephen A. Peterson


“Thank goodness we finally arrived!” said Petty Officer Melvin Conway as their ship docked in Basra, Iraq after the ship experienced waves said to be 40 or 50 feet high while in the Persian Gulf.

“What’s goodness got to do with anything?” asked Petty Barbara Hinton as the anchor lowered into the bright blue waters. “C’mon! Let’s give credit where credit is due Petty Officer Conway! Thank God we’re here safely and live to tell another day!”

Because so many people readily spurt out, “Thank God” without doing honor to the Lord, it, more often than not, is taking God’s Name in vain. However, in this instance, Petty Officer Hinton was correct when she corrected her shipmate, Petty Officer Conway.

As C.S. Lewis once remarked, “To thank goodness isn’t theologically sound and ignores the One who is responsible for seeing humanity through difficulties as well as giving humanity so many things they never deserve.”

The grace of God cannot be earned. It is His freed, loving gift available to anyone who, by faith, will believe in Him and accept Him without reservation. Having a great number of family and friends, thank God! Being in good health, thank God! Being free to pursue happiness, being alive and being able to go where we wish, thank God! Human, or their so-called innate goodness, could never secure a single needed or desired item for anyone at anytime were it not for Someone much bigger and more generous. Let humanity remember and acknowledge the Source of all that is good and right!

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