Tears welling up in my eyes, I slowly opened the card. Reading the carefully handwritten words of love and gratitude, the tears overflowed, streaming down my face. I had discovered the card sorting through my mom’s things after her funeral. Among them this thank you note, written in my hand, sent to her and Dad after my wedding. She had saved it all these years.
I can’t ask her why, but I would assume she kept it for the same reason I save special things from my children. They are expressions of love from a deeply loved child. I remember writing that note; it was my final one-the one that meant the most.
I’ve now recognize this is how I wish to live my life-full of love and gratitude. God loves me so completely, He redeemed me through Jesus by no work of my own. It is a gift He gives me. My response is a thank you note for His gift.
My thank you note is my life.[tweetthis]Live life as a thank you note to God ~@JillMHoven[/tweetthis]
I was discussing this the other morning with my children about obeying God’s law. Why do we have to obey God if He forgives us and we already have the gift of salvation? The answer is the thank you note.
We can never earn or repay what God has given us, but we can say thank you for the gift. The way we say thank you is by living the lives He has planned for us through our thoughts and actions.
Our thoughts and acts of living for God don’t save us. They are simply the heartfelt, thankful expressions of love from a deeply loved child of God. The apostle Paul describes it this way in Colossians 3:17:
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Receiving a thank you note or gift, I’m appreciative of the time, thoughtfulness and care the person put into thinking about and thanking me. I feel special knowing they appreciate me and my gift. Just as my mom appreciated her thank you note from me, God appreciates our lives lived out of love and thankfulness to Him.
Recently, a talented artist and writer, Emily P. Freeman was discussing how she was asked about her life motto. Being very creative, she said she wants her life to be less like a list and more like a lyric. An imaginative and ideal goal I strive for as well.
When pondering what my motto would be, I understood it the other day with my kids. I want my life to be a thank you note to God-full of love, thoughtfulness and gratitude for the gifts I’ve received. When I live my life from that place, everything else flows.
I love how Mom kept my thank you note, cherishing a gift of love from her child. As I write this thank you note of my life, I pray it expresses the immense love and gratitude brimming in my heart. I already know He will cherish it.
To add another great song to your Wellness Journey playlist-check out Mandisa’s Back to You-expressing similar sentiments as I have here. Have a Soulful Sunday!