Untiring Gratitude

In Christianity Today, Philip Yancey writes:

"I remember my first visit to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. Rings of Japanese and German tourists surrounded the geyser, their video cameras trained like weapons on the famous hole in the ground. A large, digital clock stood beside the spot, predicting 24 minutes until the next eruption.

My wife and I passed the countdown in the dining room of Old Faithful Inn overlooking the geyser. When the digital clock reached one minute, we, along with every other diner, left our seats and rushed to the windows to see the big, wet event.

I noticed that immediately, as if on signal, a crew of busboys and waiters descended on the tables to refill water glasses and clear away dirty dishes. When the geyser went off, we tourists 'oohed' and 'aahed' and clicked our cameras; a few spontaneously applauded. But, glancing back over my shoulder, I saw that not a single waiter or busboy—not even those who had finished their chores—looked out the huge windows. Old Faithful, grown entirely too familiar, had lost its power to impress them."

I pray we never lose our sense of appreciation and awe. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I pray we are struck again and again with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. We’ve so much for which to be grateful. God’s faithfulness, for example, deserves our untiring praise and wonder.