In all seriousness, this has been a clear example of how challenging it can be to start back doing something you should and want to be doing...but inertia takes over. And before you know it, that important priority gets buried by countless seemingly urgent priorities. But important things are rarely deemed urgent while urgent things are typically not important, at least in the long run. So here's the bottom line: since I can't come up with even one decent excuse for my laziness and inconsistency, how about we thank the Lord that His mercies are new every morning...afternoon..evening...week...month...year. And let's begin again.
Thank you Lord for Your grace.
And for fresh starts.
And for being our good, good Father.
And for Jesus. Paul put it perfectly in 2 Cor.9:15, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" What a treasure we have in our Savior and Redeemer!
And on this day, Father, thank You for Your innumerable gifts in our lives. Thank You especially for the life of JoAnna McMillan who went home to be with You on this day several years ago. I think of her and miss her every single day. But what a treasure and gift she was and is to all of us. The very best of mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, friends. Her infectious joy, her indomitable love, her hilarious sense of humor, her abounding concern and compassion for others. her never-failing wisdom and common sense, her living-life-to-the-full attitude...I could go on and on. But the point is--in JoAnna, God gave us an enormous gift. And boy, did He do a good job in making her! I'm so thankful she was and is my friend and that I will one day get to see her again.
Thank You Lord for friends and family on earth and in heaven above. They are truly some of Your choicest gifts to us.
Today, a couple more simple things to thank God for--a hot shower after a chilly, windy, soaking wet day of watching our son and his team play golf. Hot water: have you thought about it recently? You can turn on a faucet and steaming hot water comes pouring out. How many places in our world lack water, this most basic and important of needs. Yet we have an abundance of it. And we even have hot water. What an extravagant gift that we can enjoy on a daily basis. Let's don't let the seeming ordinariness of the gift blind us to how truly extraordinary it is.
Thank You also, Father, for the fellow believers You put on our paths to encourage us along the way. We are not alone. We are not running this race of faith alone. God has His people everywhere! Don't forget that. When was the last time you thanked God for the gift of running into a brother or sister in Christ when you were feeling down or worried? I think those kinds of encounters almost fall into the category of "angels unawares." Oh my, how thankful I am for such friends and for all the ways and times God brings us together. Thank You, Father for the gift of Your people wherever they may be. Might we, too, be Your agents of encouragement to those You put in our paths today.
Just a few of the gifts I'm specifically thanking the Lord for today. How about you? Might we open our eyes to His unending goodness and grace in our lives and take the time to thank Him and give Him glory.
To God be the glory.
