November 22, 2024 Dayenu
Friday, November 22, 2024
Dayenu
The Lord is my shepherd.
I lack nothing.
Psalm 23:1, CEB
“Who thinks more is better than less?” An adult posed that question in one of my favorite commercials. The kindergartners responded without hesitation, “More! We want more!”
As we head into this year’s thanksgiving season, I wonder, is enough plenty? Or do we feel life lacks something more? If we receive today’s blessings and no more, will that be enough to live with God’s peace and joy for the rest of our days?
“Dayenu” is a Hebrew word meaning “it would have been enough” or “it would have sufficed”. While not found in Scripture, the word is used throughout a Jewish song sung at the Passover seder to express gratitude for the blessings and miracles God bestowed upon the Israelites during their Exodus from Egypt. Each stanza recounts a specific divine intervention, followed by the refrain “dayenu.” A few sample refrains include:
If He had given us their [the Egyptians’] money and had not split the Sea for us; it [the money] would have been enough for us.
If He had split the Sea for us and had not taken us through it on dry land; it [splitting the Sea] would have been enough for us…
If He had given us the Torah and had not brought us into the land of Israel; it [the Torah] would have been enough for us.
Each act and blessing alone would have been enough reason for gratitude, yet God always took His provision one step further. King David must have understood dayenu to pen the 23rd Psalm. The Apostle Paul must have understood dayenu to write, I have learned how to be content in any circumstance (Philippians 4:11). Jesus himself both taught and practiced dayenu, reminding his disciples not to worry about anything, for the heavenly Father knows what we need and provides it (Matthew 6:31-33).
As I list my blessings in life – or only the past year – I try to imagine “dayenu” behind each one and find my response can be like that of the children; the blessing is enough until the next crisis or want comes along. Then I want more. Because I like being comfortable, pain-free, and happy according to my standards.
As God’s beloved, what we often can fail to realize is that implied word “and” at the beginning of each verse of the seder’s song and the truth found in the Lord’s words to the prophet Malachi:
Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10, NRSV)
Because the Lord, our Shepherd, never stops opening heaven’s floodgates to pour out more on us, we lack nothing. Each blessing suffices and would be enough to carry us through to the end of our time.
Reflect: To express gratitude for the blessings and miracles God has bestowed upon you, journal your list of blessings for this year. End each one with “it would have been enough for me” or “it would have sufficed.” Don’t forget to include the “and,” the more that may have been unexpected or unimagined.
Pray: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your countless blessings, each one more than enough to show Your boundless love and provision. Help me cultivate a heart of gratitude, recognizing and appreciating every act of Your grace and mercy in my life. May I always trust in Your abundant goodness; You bless me beyond measure. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our greatest blessing and through whom we have our being, Amen.
By His Grace,
Gloria Ashby
Lay Leader