Apologies from an Ingrate (11/17/2024)

Yesterday, my daughter and I returned from Sioux City, Iowa. It’s a long drive, nearly 500 miles. We set off around 8 a.m. from the hotel parking lot. Around 4 p.m. I pulled into my driveway in Lake Mills having first dropped my daughter at her home in Sun Prairie. My husband must have been listening for the garage door because he came out right away to help me with my luggage. Almost immediately after getting everything inside and put away, we started our plans for dinner. Then we watched a movie. And somewhere along the way I fell asleep in my chair. This morning, as I sat down with my cup of coffee on my own porch with a roof and real chair, I started my morning prayer. And it hit me – I never thanked the LORD for safe travel. And so, this morning, my prayer began with a heartfelt apology for being such an ingrate.

I couldn’t believe that I had neglected to tell the LORD thank you for this wonderful gift of safe travel with my daughter. I prayed for it. The LORD had heard my prayer. The LORD had delivered. And I had acted the ingrate with no acknowledgement of the LORD’s favor and help. This morning, I truly was ashamed for not having uttered my thanks sooner.

I realize I have “excuses.” And they are genuine. It was chaotic when I first returned home and then there were together moments with my husband from whom I’d been away for nearly a week. All my activities were legitimate. But the goodness I’d received was awesome and legitimate as well. I just felt so badly for not speaking my thanksgiving out loud. I felt like I was one of those 9 healed lepers whom the LORD never heard from again.

Gratitude, I have learned, plays a huge role in our faith journey. All we are beginning with the fact that we are we owe to the LORD, our creator, our redeemer, our guide, our benefactor. And yet, like yesterday, I can gloss over the gifts, accept them, use them, even embrace them, but act as if I alone am responsible and deserve credit. And we both know that is not true.

How about you? Are there things you have begged the LORD for and received without saying thanks? Would today be a good day to turn that around?

As we begin a new week and a new leg of our journey, let us commit to being grateful journeyers. Let us commit to beginning daily with a plea for the LORD’s power and presence in our journey. And let us take the time daily to thank the LORD for that power and presence at the end of each day. The LORD calls us to Himself and to life in Him, with Him, and through Him. Let us always and everywhere remember that and give thanks for that which the LORD gives us beginning with love. Let us seek to be that one leper who returned to give thanks.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.