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At the very heart of the timeless Christian faith is the Eucharist. And you’ve heard me say many times before that the word “Eucharist” has its root in the Greek word for “thank you.” The very center of what it means to be a Christian isn’t some cultural habit “I’m Christian because I was born in a Christian family.” It isn’t in some political allegiance like insisting we are a “Christian” nation. Nor is it the happy accident of your birth. While all of the above can and will give you a “head start” (for which you must be grateful), the key to being Christian is being grateful!

Look at Genesis 8:4-21. We’ll just quote the passage below:

In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah, “Go forth from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh – birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth – that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth.” So Noah went forth, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. And every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves upon the earth, went forth by families out of the ark.

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.”

Noah and his family and all on the ark had weathered the storm and the flood. They had obeyed God and the consequence of their obedience was their salvation, their lives. It was in “passing through” the waters of the flood that saved them. Their salvation was scary and terrible, as they were going through it, but now the flood waters have passed and the ark was on dry land.

But notice what happens when the flood ends. First God speaks. As always, God takes the initiative to lead, instruct, and guide His humanity. He tells Noah and his family to get out of the boat and get to multiplying on the earth. Just as God commanded Adam and Eve to “tend” the earth and be fruitful, so He commands Noah to do the same as He “reboots” His humanity.

The curious response of Noah is very instructive to us today. What does Noah do after hearing from God? He builds an altar! Noah’s response to God’s salvation, to God’s instruction, to God’s purpose for His humanity was to perform an act of gratitude. Noah’s motivation in his relationship with God certainly was fearful as in a deep awe of God’s presence, but fear isn’t the primary motivator here. Noah’s motivation in his relationship with God certainly included deep mystery and even confusion about why God did what He did, but confusion wasn’t his primary motivator here. No, Noah was motivated by gratitude, so he does what Adam failed to do. He does what Cain failed to do. He does what all of humanity failed to do before the flood; he worships God in gratitude for God’s salvation. And he does so with an offering that pleases the Lord so much that God reveals to Noah that He will never again destroy the earth with water.

But that’s always the consequence of gratitude towards God: Deeper intimacy with God always leads to deeper knowledge and greater gratitude as well.

Today, what regular practices in your life displays your gratitude towards God? You do understand that God doesn’t “need” your gratitude at all. No, the benefits of a life of gratitude toward God is always one sided – mine! As we learn the path of a grateful life, we watch as our hearts grow more accustomed to God’s Presence and we know Him better. It’s what results from being Orthodox on Purpose.

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