"Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."
Psalm 30:4-5
I have a tattoo above my heart that says "Eucharisteo." It's a Greek word with the root word "charis" meaning grace. "Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. (Matt. 26)" The thing we don't deserve. The thing I couldn't earn if I worked my whole life toward it, grace. Undeserved, unmerited, favor. Jesus, humbling himself, took the bread and saw it as a gift of grace, charis.
Eucharisteo holds a greek derivative as well. "Chara" which means joy. This joy, our joy, is found only at the table of thanks. Thanksgiving has to precede the joy. It always does, it always has.
Eucharisteo, its the explanation of the unexplainable joy that is seen in the faces of true poverty. And it's the thing that the man who has it all, keeps chasing after, even though he doesn't know what it is. The striver for more that consistently misses the gifts of now. He forgot. He can't give thanks when his eyes are always looking for the next thing, the better thing. Tomorrow his joy will come, he believes it truly, but tomorrows here and joy is always a day away. Eucharisteo, thanks, always precedes the miracle of joy.
Jesus looked at the hungry crowd gathered to hear the truth of His love. He looked at the loaves and few fish. He gave thanks, and then he multiplied them. Thanksgiving of what is, precedes the miracle of what will be.
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:15-20)
So is it joy that I am missing in my life? Is it truly an adventure that I need? A romance to be swept away in? More time? More peace? Or is it the three stranded word Eucharisteo that is missing it's vital, life-breathing cord? Have I forgotten to give thanks?
About 5 years ago, I lived for circumstantial joy. I didn't realize it then, but every time my "happy place" got bruised a little, the anxiety swarmed. Joy was found when all was well, and all was well, when all went as planned.
I woke up one morning with an idea to take Josh to get these yummy breakfast taco's in downtown Nashville. My friend Clarissa and I loved them after a good long run. But, Josh had never had them. I had a vision for our day and it all began with these specific breakfast tacos with bacon jam on top! When we arrived, the restaurant owner informed us that the breakfast menu was closed and that lunch was being served. A punch in the chest and the heat built up behind my eyes. I cried. I'm not kidding. I literally cried.
It wasn't the taco. It wasn't the place. It was me. In this season of life I was so concerned with creating happiness, peace, and joy that when I failed (or thought I did), I would spiral. Self-hate and anxiety overwhelm me. They engulf me like an uninvited chaos. And it didn't take much for them to break down my paper mâché gate of control.
Eventually we laughed at me, and enjoyed a great breakfast elsewhere. My happy was preserved for the day.
Am I alone here? I can't be!
Have you ever had a dream go awry? Or felt the angst of the unknown? I'm talking a little deeper than a breakfast taco here. Have you ever wanted something so badly that it was all you focus your heart, eyes, and mind on?
Have you ever chosen to see the things that weren't as bigger and better than the things that were?
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.
He took what wasn't enough. He took the ordinary gift that was in His hands for the day, and He gave thanks. Thanks preceded the miracle for Jesus. Thanks gave way to full bellies and abundance. Thanks came, and joy was truly found.
Look at your palms. Hold them like a cup. What have you been given? Can you name them? The gifts in your hands?
They will add up to joy. Because joy always comes when we give thanks.
I love you my dear friends,
Merry Christmas!
Jessica
Moments of thanks always add up to JOY
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