Having Brunch With God

WEEK 1

"Thank you for joining us for brunch!"

The Spiritual Message: Learn to be thankful.

It is Monday morning, your alarm signals it is time to jump out of bed, get dressed, and proceed to work knowing your busy day will include a barrage of spreadsheets, PowerPoints, complaining colleagues or a difficult boss. Just the thought of going through this cycle again brings stress to your mind. Some folks begin to wonder why they haven't retired, or they begin to question their career choices. Some might fantasize about calling in sick for the day. Sounds familiar? I think we have all been guilty of this at some point. Let's reflect.

Think about your friends that lost their jobs over the last few months. Think about how many homeless individuals you pass on the road. Or better yet, think about the fact that there are people in the world that went to sleep on Sunday night that did not make it to Monday morning. They will not get to say I love you to family, they will not make it to their favorite coffee shop, they will not make it to the conference room to make that significant presentation.

The point is we should always remember to start our day giving thanks to God, because life could be worse than it is. Give thanks that you are alive. Give thanks that you have another opportunity to live out His purpose for you. Remember the words of King David "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." (New King James Version, 1 Chron. 16.34).

I believe the word thanks has great power to it. The Hebrew word for thanks, used in 1 Chron. 16:34, is yadah (הדי). Yadah, in its practical form, means to extend or hold out your hands – portraying a form of reverence.

Giving thanks is amplified even more once you look at the Hebrew letters in the word yadah (הדי), then examine their ancient picture representation. The Hebrew word yadah comprises three Hebrew letters: Yud, Dalet and Hey. Yud (י) – represents an arm, Dalet (ד) – is a door/movement, Hey (ה) – is a man with arms raised. When we put this altogether you get the image - hands, breaking through doors with arms raised. In other words, giving thanks is a powerful full body experience that mirrors rejoicing, it's not just a verbal comment.

The ability to give thanks, despite not having the perfect career or working at the perfect place, may very well open the opportunity for you to break through new doors and experience greatness. God will reward you for your attitude of gratitude.

I will close with this, remember Paul's message to the congregation in Thessalonica "Always be joyful. Pray regularly. In everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Yeshua" (Complete Jewish Bible, 1 Thess. 5.16-18). Meditate on these words, stay thankful, and stay rejoicing. As you jump out of bed in the mornings, remember, give thanks! Walk out knowing you can be thankful despite of everything.