Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Dr. Hans Selye, “The true pioneer in discovering the impact of emotions on health,” “named vengeance and bitterness as the emotional responses most likely to produce high stress levels in human beings. Conversely, he concluded, gratitude is the single response most nourishing to health.”
I love the Dayenu, a portion of the Seder celebration at Passover which lists God’s gifts and our response:
“If He had rescued us from Egypt, but not punished the Egyptians, We should have been content!
If He had punished the Egyptians, but not destroyed their gods, We should have been content!
If He had destroyed their gods, but not killed their frist-born, We should have been content!
If He had killed their first-born, but not given us their property, We should have been content!
If He had given us their property, but not divided the Red Sea before us, We should have been content!
If He had divided the Red Sea for us, but not drowned our oppressors, We should have been content!
If He had drowned our oppressors, but not supplied us in the desert for forty years, We should have been content!
If He had supplied us in the desert for forty years, but not fed us with manna, We should have been content!
If He had fed us with manna, but not given us the Sabbath, We should have been content!
If He had given us the Sabbath, but not brought us to Mount Sinai, We should have been content!
If He had given us the Law, but not brought us to the Land of Promise, We should have been content!
If He had brought us to the Land of Promise, but not built us His temple, We should have been content!
If He had built us His temple, but not provided permanent salvation, We should have been content!
If He had provided permanent salvation throught the sacrifice of Jesus, but not indwelt us with His Holy Spirit, We should have been content!”
But, Praise the Lord! For God has provided us with it all and His power to succeed!
Reading this list always puts me in a profound attitude of gratitude.
Tags: attitude of gratitude, Dayenu, Gratitude, health, Passover, Seder
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