Most people sooner or later have a question: why thank God? Such thoughts usually roam in the minds of unbelievers or unchurched citizens. Indeed, how can everything connected with life be connected with the mythical Spirit, which no one has seen? Even if a person admits the existence of a "higher mind", there is no need to thank him. After all, a successful entrepreneur or a sought-after specialist "made himself", without outside interference. But God did not help, he only sends cancer to young children and gives maniacs and officials good health so that they live longer and torture ordinary people.
Among believers and church members, such thoughts also slip through. The main problem among the Orthodox is the lack of knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. It’s a sin to hide, rarely anyone will read the Bible to the end, because there are 78 books! Usually only half the Old Testament is enough strength, the rest of the picture is made up of fragments of what you once heard, saw in the movie, read in books.
Of particular interest are places where Abraham is going to sacrifice Isaac or how Laban deceives Jacob, using his love for Rachel and forcing him to serve as a shepherd for another seven years. Are the executions Egyptian? And the extermination of Jewish boys in Egypt? Modern high-tech society, brought up on the laws of humanism, does not understand why God in the Old Testament is so evil. Either he burns Sodom and Gomorrah, then he destroys the Tower of Babel, then he pours the waters of the Great Flood onto the earth ...
From lack of knowledge and faith in the soul, doubts come. Different sects like to use this very much. They are well aware of human psychology, freely operate with phrases from the Gospel, they are specially taught at meetings to confuse and unsettle the interlocutor. There are even such desperate followers who dare a priest, dressed in a cassock, to ask the question: "Do you believe in God?"
So why should God be thanked and for what? What words do you need to do this? Let us consider these and other questions in detail.
Evil Old Testament God
One well-known professor of theology in his lecture mentioned the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. One of the consequences of eating the notorious apple, he called stupidity. Indeed, the first people, having tasted the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, lost their minds. Otherwise, how else can they explain their attempt to hide from God? More than one millennium has passed since then. With each new era, a person accumulates more and more experience, tries to restore lost wisdom. But such a level of understanding of the mechanisms of the world around us as in God, we can never achieve.
The Holy Fathers explain the cruelty of the Old Testament with the realities of that time. If you look at the book from a different angle, it becomes clear that the flood, the destruction of entire nations and other human troubles is a manifestation of the Creator's love for his creation. From the moment of the fall, the Lord knew that He would save humanity through Jesus Christ. And for the successful incarnation of the God of the Word, a better representative of the people was needed.
Jewish upbringing
Paganism was rampant on the earth of that time, the cult of Moloch alone with the sacrifices of children is worth anything. And so the Lord leads the Jews to the promised land. And the Gentiles live there. The corruption of the Jews and the betrayal of God is the logical outcome of such a neighborhood. If you recall the wandering of Moses in the desert. As soon as he lingered on the mountain for 40 days, the Jews immediately blinded the golden calf and began to worship him. Therefore, God had no choice but to exterminate the Gentiles, so that the connection of the chosen people with the Lord would not break for a month.
And the whole Old Testament is saturated with the Creator's love for his people. He leads them through the ages, with a rigid hand cutting off all that is unnecessary, which can be harmful. As soon as the Creator gave them a little respite, the Jews immediately betrayed God, fell into paganism, into Satanism and other terrible deeds. For their incredible concern for the people, the Jews did not forget to offer thanksgiving prayers to heaven.
The result of such care was the apostles, the Virgin and the saints - the only people who managed to rise to the right level. Recalls the upbringing of Olympic champions: daily grueling workouts, significant physical exertion, a special diet. There are many athletes, and a minority of champions. Because not everyone can withstand the frantic pace of the race for the medal.
New Testament - new page
As soon as the incarnation of the Savior became possible, the Lord ceased to closely monitor the Jews, severely restricting their activities. Now all His attention was directed to the implementation of the Divine plan into life. Jesus Christ, who began to preach, says these words about the Old Testament:
Do not think that I came to break the law or the prophets: I did not come to break, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law ”(Matthew 5: 17-18)
Comparing the Old Testament commandments with those given by the Savior, we can see that the latter do not cancel the former, but only reveal their deep meaning. Moses was given a decalogue - strict rules of conduct for the whole nation. The main message of the commandments is how to keep from sin. Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount does not establish laws of behavior, but shows the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.
God is love
The human mind cannot comprehend the Lord; it is impossible. But you can try to make sense of the Savior’s cross sacrifice. This step once again proves the Creator’s absolute love for humanity. We invite the reader to watch a short excerpt of the foreign Christian film "The Cabin", which very well shows a quote from the Gospel:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world would be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not condemned, and the unbeliever is already condemned, because he did not believe in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God. The judgment is that light has come into the world; but people loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil; for everyone who does evil, hates the light and does not go to the light, lest his deeds be convicted, because they are evil, and he who does the truth goes to the light, so that his deeds will be manifest, because they are done in God.
Jn. 10th Conception, 3: 16–21
Evolution or Creation?
Any sin is a wall between creation and the Creator. That is why modern people do not hear the Creator and do not see signs of His presence in the world. This gives rise to such opinions that we descended from primates. That after death is emptiness, therefore, from life one must "take everything." The idea of atheism, as well as the theory of the origin of life from the big bang, is easy to refute, just look at the world around us.
The wise laws of physics and mechanics, the diversity of plant and animal species, and human dominance over nature leave no doubt that the world is created. Those who deny this idea, the Holy Fathers offer to answer for themselves a simple question: why for humanity are musicians, artists or philosophers? Since evolution is the best adaptability of the body to the environment. A phenomenon such as philosophy does not fit into these concepts.
Why thank God?
"I made myself." "Where was your God when I was dying of hunger?" "If He exists, why do children die?" - These and other questions constantly arise among militant and doubting atheists. The Creator exists outside of time and space, unlike people. He knows who is capable of what and what kind of life this or that person will have. Anyone leaves the mortal world at the best time. That is, if he remains to live, the path to heaven for him may be closed due to his atrocities. Therefore, God takes it away before he has done anything.
The phrase "I made myself" is incorrect. Because everything that a person has is given to him by the Lord. Talent, health, entrepreneurial spirit, the ability to think and feel - all this is a gift of God. For all that a person has, it’s good to offer a prayer of thanksgiving. Believers noticed an interesting trend. The more thanksgiving prayers are addressed to God and the saints, the more generosity the Lord sheds on a person. Therefore, you need to learn with faith and hope to accept everything that He sends in life. Because all this is aimed at saving the soul.
Thanksgiving prayers
Thanksgiving prayer for all good:
We thank you, our Lord God, for all your good deeds, even from the first age to the present, in us, unworthy thy servants (names), former, theirs and nots, manifest and undetected, formerly deeds and the word: beloved us and Thy Only Begotten Son of us a darling, like us and be worthy of your love.
Give Thy word wisdom and Thy fear, breathe strength from Thy strength, and even though you at least or unwillingly sinned, forgive and do not impute, and save our holy soul, and present Your Throne, conscientiously clean, and the end is worthy of Thy love of mankind; and remember, Lord, all who call on thy name in truth, remember all who are good or who want us to resist: all are Esma's men, and every man in vain; with the same prayer to you, Lord, give us your grace great mercy.
Thanksgiving prayer for all beneficence:
The Cathedral of Saints Angel and Archangel, with all the heavenly powers sings Thee, and says: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of hosts, fill the heavens and the land of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest, blessed is the one in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest. Save me, Save thou in the highest King, save me and sanctify, Source of sanctification; from Thee, all the creature is strengthened, You countless songs of the Holy Trinity. You are unworthy too, who sits unapproachable in the light, everyone is terrified of him, I pray: enlighten my mind, clear my heart, and open my mouth, as if I could worthy of my pet you: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, always, now, and ever in the endless eyelids of centuries. Amen.
Thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ:
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the God of all mercy and generosity, whose mercy is immeasurable and humanity - an immeasurable abyss! We, falling to Your greatness, with fear and awe, as unworthy slaves, bring thanks to You for the mercies shown to us. As the Lord, Lord and benefactor, we praise you, praise, sing and magnify you, and when we fall, we thank again! Your unspeakable mercy humbly pray: just as You have accepted our prayers and fulfilled them, so in the future, let us succeed in love for You, for our neighbors, and in all virtues. And allow us to always thank and glorify you, together with your beginningless Father and all-holy, and good, and your consubstantial Spirit. Amen.
Thanksgiving for all the good deeds of God. Prayer of St. John of Kronstadt:
Lord What will I bring to you than thank you for your unceasing ones, the greatest to me and to other people of Your mercy? For, every moment, I liven up with your Holy Spirit, every moment I breathe the air, poured out by you, light, pleasant, healthy, strengthening, - I am enlightened by your joyful and life-giving light - spiritual and material; I eat spiritual food sweet and life-giving and drink the same, the holy secrets of Your Body and Blood, and food and drink of sweets material; You dress me with a bright, beautiful royal robe — by Yourself and material clothes, purify my sins, heal and purify many of my sinful and fierce passions; you will take away my corruption in the state of immeasurable goodness, wisdom and your strength, and fill with your Holy Spirit - the spirit of holiness, grace; you give my soul truth, peace and joy, space, strength, boldness, courage, strength, and my body you bestow with precious health; you teach my hand to militia and my fingers to fight with the invisible enemies of my salvation and bliss, with the enemies of the sanctuary and the power of Your glory, with the spirits of wickedness under heaven; you crown success with my deeds, done by Your name ... For all this, I thank, praise and bless the all-blessed, fatherly, omnipotent Power of God, God, Savior, Our Benefactor. But I was known also by Your other people as such, as if I appeared, More Humane, may You, the Father of all, Your goodness, Your providence, Your wisdom and strength and glorify You, with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and ever and ever. Amen.
Thanksgiving to the Lord God:
I thank you, my God, for the gift of being to me, for giving birth to me in the Christian faith, for the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Intercession for the salvation of our family, for your holy pleasers praying for us, for the Guardian Angel, for the public worship that supports us faith and virtue, for the Holy Scriptures, for the Holy Sacraments, and especially Your Body and Blood, for the mysterious blessed comforts, for the hope to receive the Kingdom of Heaven and for all the blessings that You have been granted to me.
It is not necessary to refer to the Creator through texts if this is impossible for some reason. The Holy Fathers say that it is enough to say such words: "Glory to God for everything!" Try it and see for yourself how life will change.