Dayenu

No, Jim’s not going mad.  Dayenu is a song that is part of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

The word "Dayenu" means approximately, "it would have been enough for us", "it would have been sufficient", or "it would have sufficed" (day in Hebrew is "enough", and -enu the first person plural suffix, "to us"). This traditional up-beat Passover song is over one thousand years old, but the tradition goes back even further than that. Some have even suggested that this is a song of the captivity, sung when the Jews were able to return to their homeland under Ezra.  

Dayenu has 15 stanzas representing the 15 gifts God bestowed. The first five involve freeing the Jews from slavery, the next describe the miracles he did for them, and the last five for the closeness to God he gave them. After each of the stanza, it is followed by singing the word "Dayenu" (it would have been enough) repeatedly in between stanzas. 

Jesus would have sung this song.

The song is about being grateful to God for all of the gifts he gave the Jewish people, such as taking them out of slavery, giving them the Torah (Law) and Shabbat(the Sabbath), and had God only given one of the gifts, it would have still been enough. This is to show much greater appreciation for all of them as a whole.  I understand the “blanch” that some take toward the OLD LAW, that it was done away with, and we’re not bound by it anymore. But, we do not need to throw the baby out with the bath water. There is a good concept taught in this song, which as we stated before Jesus would have sung with His family, friends, and His disciples as part of the Passover observance.

Some have suggested that this was the song sung in 

Mt.26:30 before they went to the Mount of Olives.

• Whether it was the song of Matt.26 or not, the point is - are we grateful for what God has done through Jesus to restore us unto fellowship to Him?  Dayenu!  
• Is realizing that God has given us yet one more day of life enough? Dayenu! 
• That you have food today and clothes on your back and shelter over you enough? Dayenu!  
• That we have the Church, the body of Christ with all of its flawed people and knowing that Christ died to make this possible enough? Dayenu! 

In this modern world of bigger is better, and more – more – more, where is Dayenu in our lives?

 “Was there no one found to return and to recognize and give thanks and praise to God except this foreigner ?”

Luke 17:18

Jim