Rev. Martin
Meister Eckhart, the medieval theologian and philosopher wrote:
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank you,’ it would be enough.
What does that mean? Don’t we have to pray for things? And if what we want is really, really big, don’t we have to pray really, really hard? If you’re saying “no,” move to the head of the class!
In the first place, there is no big or small to the God who maketh all. It is no more difficult for God to create an elephant than an ant. There is no reason that asking to be healed of cancer should be harder than asking to be healed of a cold. We are the ones who decide that “this one is a really big deal.”
Back to our quote: If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank you,’ it would be enough.
I think what Meister Eckhart was getting at is that God is always offering us more than we are capable of receiving. We are dealing with a limitless, inexhaustible Power. Eye has not seen and ear has not heard the blessings that are available to us. So, it is never a matter of praying for more supply; the supply is always infinite, and always being offered. Our challenge is to be able to accept the gifts that are being offered. Prayer is an activity of getting into alignment with Divine Good – a means of enlarging our ability to accept. And whatever it is that we can accept, that much – and no more – is what we shall receive.
Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. – Mark 11:24-25
Note that Jesus said “believe” in the present tense, and “receive” in the future tense. First we believe, and then – and only then – do we receive. What better way to demonstrate our belief that we shall receive than to be sincerely grateful for the gifts of God that are heading our way.
“Thank you”, from the heart, is our absolute acknowledgment that whatever we ask is already ours, and we are grateful that it is supplied. “Thank you” really IS enough, because it enlarges our ability to accept every great gift of the God who is MORE than enough.