My mom called it "the lost art of the thank-you note."
She taught my brother and me to handwrite thank-you notes to the people who gave us gifts, served us in extraordinary ways, and sacrificed their time, energy, or money for the good of others. While I've never had good handwriting, I've practiced this lesson for many years. In a time when most of the mail we get is junk mail or bills, it's nice to open up your mailbox and find something meaningful.
Those two simple words—thank you—go a long way. They represent more than mere gratitude. They communicate that someone saw and appreciated an unnecessary act. They recognize a specific achievement or special performance. They honor sacrifice, courage, and humility. Saying an authentic "thank you" ensures that another person is not invisible.
As I listened to Aodhán King's new song, "Thank You So Much Jesus," I realized that he'd spent time with someone like my mom. The chorus of King's song expresses deep and profound gratitude.
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"Who am I
That I would be the apple of Your eye?
Thank You so much, Jesus
You're all I've ever needed"
In talking about the song, King stated, "I don't know about you, but I never wanna outgrow just simply saying thank you." However, King doesn't simply say thank you in the song. His lyrics, written with Ben Tan and LANY's Paul Klein, reflect a wonder-infused perspective on faith and life (along with the positive vibes any LANY fan will know all too well).
"Age to age
We've tried to find the words
To say how wonderful You are
It overwhelms a human heart."
Listening to "Thank You So Much, Jesus," I saw a connection between the King's attitude and the song's words. It's an attitude that is important but also increasingly rare.
Wonder.
We live in a world that is quickly starving for wonder. When I was a kid, I would wonder about something until I found someone who knew the answer or until I could find a book that told me. Now, my kids just ask Alexa or Siri or request my phone to Google or YouTube their newest question.
While these tools (along with the expansion of AI) offer us a shortcut to answers, I fear we've unknowingly given up something. I fear we've given up our sense of wonder. As wonder decreases, cynicism increases. As wonder fades, sadly, so does worship.
Think about how many of King David's Psalms include his remarks that God is beyond comprehension. Psalm 65:8 declares, "Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy."
In Isaiah 55, the prophet Isaiah records God's wondrous ways. "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." It's impossible to reflect on such a dynamic and not be overwhelmed.
Aodán King's remarks on the purpose behind his song reflect this kind of wonder.
"For generations, people from all walks of life have tried to articulate how incredible Jesus is. It doesn't always look or sound the same, but with every story and every song, we are given another glimpse into the depths of His infinite love and kindness. What else is there to say but 'thank you so much, Jesus', for everything: for the cross, for the grace that we don't deserve, and for the love that flips our world upside down, giving us a purpose and hope for the future."
In light of all Jesus has done for us, King experienced wonder, and his response was a profound, hopeful song of worship. So, I "wonder" - how is your sense of wonder and awe lately? Has it been growing dim? Have you been growing more cynical and jaded? Do you ever think you know too much or have seen too much?
If so, then what would it take to restore your wonder? Several hours in nature without the distraction of technology could help. A long evening by a fire starting up at the stars could be restorative. Could it be time to start reading through the Psalms again? Psalms 19, 65, and 139 would be good places to start!
Allow your wonder tank to get refilled. Then, like a handwritten thank-you note, turn on Aodán King's "Thank You So Much Jesus" and declare your praise and gratitude to our wonderful God. Saying "thank you" does as much for you as it does the One receiving your gratitude!
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
