Thanks for Being You

[Dexu Xia]

When I served as my mom’s live-in caregiver at a cancer center, I got to know Lori, another caregiver who lived down the hallway from us with her husband, Frank. I would chat, laugh, vent, cry, and pray with Lori in the shared living areas. We enjoyed supporting each other as we cared for our loved ones.

One day, I missed the free shuttle that took residents to buy groceries. Lori offered to drive me to the store later that evening. With grateful tears, I accepted her offer. “Thanks for being you,” I said. I truly appreciated her for who she was as a person, not just for what she did for me as a friend.

Psalm 100 demonstrates an appreciation of God for who He is, not simply for all He does. The psalmist invites “all the earth” (v. 1) to “worship the Lord with gladness” (v. 2), being confident in knowing “the Lord is God” (v. 3). Our Maker invites us into His presence to “give thanks to him and praise his name” (v. 4). Yes, the Lord remains worthy of our ongoing thankfulness because He “is good,” His “love endures forever,” and His “faithfulness continues through all generations” (v. 5).

God will always be the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and our intimately loving Father. He deserves our genuine joy-filled gratitude.

Lord, thanks for being You!

Who can you share God’s love with today?

为了贴身照顾母亲，我住进母亲所在的癌症治疗中心。在那里，我认识了住在走廊另一端的萝莉，她在那里是为了照顾她的丈夫法兰克。我和萝莉常在中心里的公共空间一起聊天、欢笑、抒发情绪、哭泣和祷告。这样的互相扶持，成为我们在照顾至亲时极大的安慰。

有一天，我错过了接送居民去购买生活杂货的免费公车，萝莉就主动提出，她可以在当天傍晚开车载我去购买。我接受她的好意，也流下感激的泪水。我对她说：“妳真好，谢谢妳！”她的为人真好，这让我由衷地感谢她，而不只是感谢她为我所做的一切。

在诗篇100篇，诗人由衷地对上帝本身发出感谢和赞美，而并非只是感谢祂一切的作为。诗人呼吁“普天下”（1节）都“当乐意事奉耶和华”（2节），满有信心地知道“耶和华是上帝”（3节）。这位造物主邀请我们进到祂面前，“感谢祂，称颂祂的名”（4节）。的确，上帝至今依然配得我们的感恩，因祂真好，祂“本为善，祂的慈爱存到永远，祂的信实直到万代！”（5节）

上帝永远是宇宙的创造者和主宰，也是我们亲爱的天父。祂配得我们真诚、充满喜乐的感恩。

主啊，我衷心地感谢祢，
因为祢一直都那么好！

你今天可以和谁分享上帝的爱呢？