Grace and Gratitude

In Living the Message, today’s message is about Grace and Gratitude. “‘Charis always demands the answer eucharistia (that is, grace always demands the answer of gratitude). Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Grace evokes gratitude like the voice an echo. Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lighting’ [Peterson quoted from Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics]. God is personal reality to be enjoyed. We are so created and so redeemed that we are capable of enjoying him” (p. 58).

I start off my day with grace. Gratitude usually doesn’t come after it. Rather, worry, restlessness, evil thoughts come in and start to take over my mind. Instead of enjoying Him every day, I’m preoccupied by many things in life. This morning, I needed to return a book to Brooklyn Public Library, for today is the deadline. I got there at 11:45am. Then I realized that it’s open from 1:00-8:00pm on Wednesday. I walked back and forth.  It wasted me about 20 minutes. Then I came home and renewed it on-line, for I may not be able to return it today. While I was walking back home, I wasn’t too happy about this kind of living. I can’t blame on the library. The schedule is right in front of the door. I can’t blame on the city. I can blame no one, except myself: I should have visited the library more often. Then I will know the library’s regular schedule.  I should have just renewed it on-line.  I start off my day with grace. I fail to live with gratitude. Sometimes I wonder why I am so conscious of my time. I waste 10 minutes here. The train makes me wait for another 15 minutes. A stranger delays my order for another 5 minutes.  Is this how I should live by His grace?

While I am walking back and forth, can I learn to walk slowly and enjoy my walk? Can I learn to appreciate my surrounding, which is God’s creative works? Can I appreciate the fact that there is a library near my house? I don’t have to drive there. It only takes me 10 minutes to walk there. There is no gratitude. Maybe I take all of these for granted. Grace is always given. Gratitude needs to be cultivated.