Woke up feeling sort of thread bare and tired. Some days are just like that, aren't they? An achy back or a grumpy child or a too long to-do list... sometimes life can just wear us down a bit. And the last thing we feel like doing is being thankful. Maybe I'll just wallow a bit down here in the mud of messy discouragement and irritable self-preoccupation, we think.
But does that ever help us? Does that encourage others around us? Does that glorify God?
When we are all wrapped up in ourselves and our perceived problems, we make a very small package.
I just reread Jesus' words in John 6 when there was a whole lot of grumbling going on. The crowds "grumbled about Him" (v.41), they "disputed among themselves" (v.52), and even His disciples "were grumbling" about His words. At one point, Jesus just flat out tells the crowd, "Do not grumble among yourselves!" (v.43)
What a reminder that grumbling and complaining among myself, much less among others, just leads to nothing good.
Rather, Jesus tells them in John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
How had I missed that before? Right after questioning His disciples for their grumbling, Jesus teaches them--and us--it's the Spirit. It's His Words that give life, that bring wholeness, that bring restoration and healing to frayed and worn out hearts.
Boy, Jesus' words are Truth, aren't they? The flesh is no help at all! Amen to that! Our aching joints or pounding heads or exhausted bodies are not a lot of help in the battle for joy and thanksgiving. And our fluctuating feelings can often lead us down the wrong road towards selfishness and discouragement.
Nope, there is one sure foundation for joy, and that is the Spirit and the Word that brings life. LIFE, the abundant, full, John 10:10 Life with a capital "L" that Jesus came to give us. His Word. His Holy Spirit.
It means choosing to put down the remote control or the computer or the to do list or the catalogue or whatever distractions chase away your hunger for the Word. And then, by faith, pick up the Word and start eating His words... and find renewed strength and joy. I love how James Montgomery Boyce put it: "You are to feed on Christ's words, digest Christ's words, live Christ's words, exude Christ's words."
When we do that, we suddenly find our problems and preoccupation with ourselves have shrunk down to their proper diminutive size... compared to Almighty God. He is big! He is huge! He has infinite power and provision for anything that faces us! And He is good... so good. "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!" (Ps.107:8)
So today, let's give thanks for the Word. For His words that give us life. And hope. And joy. And peace. And power. And strength. And heaven. To God be the glory.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Perspective and Prayer
Well, we finally pieced together what happened to my battered, but trusty old cell phone. It is not a happy story... though it has a good ending.
So here's what happened: Janie and I rushed from her physical therapy appointment yesterday morning in order for her grab a quick bite to eat at home before zipping her to school. In our haste, I left the car keys back at the therapist's office, so yours truly sprinted back to the office to retrieve the keys. (This is the same office where a few weeks back I actually managed to briefly lose a wheelchair, so we don't have a great track record there.)
Sprinting back to the car, we leapt in and hurried towards home. A funny thing happened on the way, however. (My husband might not agree with the use of the word "funny," but that's another story.) While driving about 60 mph on the belt line--and for the record, I was not speeding--we suddenly heard a funny (there's that word again--maybe "strange" would be a better choice... or "foreboding") thumping sound. I was a bit shocked and feared something had hit our car, but, thank the Lord, we seemed to be fine and continued on our merry way.
Back at the ranch, I suddenly determined I could not locate my cell phone. I spent the next two hours searching high and low, all the while growing increasingly uneasy. When I dialed my number, instead of ringing 4 times as it usually did, it just rang once--not a good omen.
And then it all began to slowly come back to me. When I had raced back into the therapist's office, I had just thrown my phone down on the hood of my car--that's the kind of dumb thing you do when you're rushing. And that's also the last time I gave the phone a passing thought... until I was passing another car on the Raleigh beltline. The phone apparently hung in there and clung desperately to the hood of the car through several twists and turns and even several minutes on the beltline, until we passed another car. And then, wham, it must have flown off, hit our windshield, and smashed into smithereens on the shoulder of the highway. Janie then recalled that the thing she had seen hit our windshield was white (I have a white phone). I recalled that her daddy would be not find this funny in the least.
But, still, it is a little funny...
That is until I thought about all my lost contacts, all the phone numbers and information I have stored on that phone, all the pain and hassle and money of having to get a new phone, all the important phone calls from my children and friends I was missing. Well, it didn't take me long to lose my sense of humor.
And my sense of gratitude. Gone with the wind, like my annihilated cell phone.
Until I took Janie to her appointment late yesterday afternoon for occupational therapy. As we drove up, all I was thinking about was what I would do for a cell phone, and how could I be so foolish and careless, and what if my children were trying to reach me... O mercy, what a mess. But as we pulled into the driveway of the medical center, there were two large ambulances parked right in front.
I suddenly was taken back exactly two months ago to the day, when Janie was loaded onto a special ambulance transport from the ECU hospital to the Chapel Hill hospital. Still in critical condition. Still unconscious. Still unresponsive. Still with an infection and high fever.
Look how infinitely, beautifully, incredibly far God had brought her... in His mercy, by His grace, for His glory.
What exactly was I worried about now? Would something this minor really steal my joy? A lost cell phone?! How on earth could I allow worry over something so trivial replace worship of the Almighty One? Surely I would not forfeit gratitude for grumbling when God has been so extravagantly and undeservedly good?
Forgive me, Father.
And thank You. Thank You that I may have lost my cell phone, but we need never use a cell phone to speak to the God of the universe. I keep thinking about that--we all use cell phones and feel lost without them. But the Lord who made us, who knows us, who loves us so much that He died and rose again for us--well, we can talk to Him anytime, anywhere, about anything. No need for phone or prerequisites or perfection. Nope, the Maker of heaven and earth, the One with all power and wisdom and strength, we can come into His presence with singing or with sorrow, with praise or with pain... whenever, wherever, however. 24-7!
What an unimaginable privilege! What a cause for thanksgiving! No phone required. No need for contacts. No nothing but the cross of Christ that gives us instant and continual access to the throne of grace and glory. "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb.4:16) What a privilege... what a throne.
From here:
(that's Janie being loaded into the back of the transport 2 months ago yesterday)
To here:
(Halloween night with Huntley Davis! He's the precious little giraffe!)
The power of perspective.
And the perpetual privilege of prayer.
Thanks be to God. To God be the glory.
So here's what happened: Janie and I rushed from her physical therapy appointment yesterday morning in order for her grab a quick bite to eat at home before zipping her to school. In our haste, I left the car keys back at the therapist's office, so yours truly sprinted back to the office to retrieve the keys. (This is the same office where a few weeks back I actually managed to briefly lose a wheelchair, so we don't have a great track record there.)
Sprinting back to the car, we leapt in and hurried towards home. A funny thing happened on the way, however. (My husband might not agree with the use of the word "funny," but that's another story.) While driving about 60 mph on the belt line--and for the record, I was not speeding--we suddenly heard a funny (there's that word again--maybe "strange" would be a better choice... or "foreboding") thumping sound. I was a bit shocked and feared something had hit our car, but, thank the Lord, we seemed to be fine and continued on our merry way.
Back at the ranch, I suddenly determined I could not locate my cell phone. I spent the next two hours searching high and low, all the while growing increasingly uneasy. When I dialed my number, instead of ringing 4 times as it usually did, it just rang once--not a good omen.
And then it all began to slowly come back to me. When I had raced back into the therapist's office, I had just thrown my phone down on the hood of my car--that's the kind of dumb thing you do when you're rushing. And that's also the last time I gave the phone a passing thought... until I was passing another car on the Raleigh beltline. The phone apparently hung in there and clung desperately to the hood of the car through several twists and turns and even several minutes on the beltline, until we passed another car. And then, wham, it must have flown off, hit our windshield, and smashed into smithereens on the shoulder of the highway. Janie then recalled that the thing she had seen hit our windshield was white (I have a white phone). I recalled that her daddy would be not find this funny in the least.
But, still, it is a little funny...
That is until I thought about all my lost contacts, all the phone numbers and information I have stored on that phone, all the pain and hassle and money of having to get a new phone, all the important phone calls from my children and friends I was missing. Well, it didn't take me long to lose my sense of humor.
And my sense of gratitude. Gone with the wind, like my annihilated cell phone.
Until I took Janie to her appointment late yesterday afternoon for occupational therapy. As we drove up, all I was thinking about was what I would do for a cell phone, and how could I be so foolish and careless, and what if my children were trying to reach me... O mercy, what a mess. But as we pulled into the driveway of the medical center, there were two large ambulances parked right in front.
I suddenly was taken back exactly two months ago to the day, when Janie was loaded onto a special ambulance transport from the ECU hospital to the Chapel Hill hospital. Still in critical condition. Still unconscious. Still unresponsive. Still with an infection and high fever.
Look how infinitely, beautifully, incredibly far God had brought her... in His mercy, by His grace, for His glory.
What exactly was I worried about now? Would something this minor really steal my joy? A lost cell phone?! How on earth could I allow worry over something so trivial replace worship of the Almighty One? Surely I would not forfeit gratitude for grumbling when God has been so extravagantly and undeservedly good?
Forgive me, Father.
And thank You. Thank You that I may have lost my cell phone, but we need never use a cell phone to speak to the God of the universe. I keep thinking about that--we all use cell phones and feel lost without them. But the Lord who made us, who knows us, who loves us so much that He died and rose again for us--well, we can talk to Him anytime, anywhere, about anything. No need for phone or prerequisites or perfection. Nope, the Maker of heaven and earth, the One with all power and wisdom and strength, we can come into His presence with singing or with sorrow, with praise or with pain... whenever, wherever, however. 24-7!
What an unimaginable privilege! What a cause for thanksgiving! No phone required. No need for contacts. No nothing but the cross of Christ that gives us instant and continual access to the throne of grace and glory. "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb.4:16) What a privilege... what a throne.
From here:
To here:
The power of perspective.
And the perpetual privilege of prayer.
Thanks be to God. To God be the glory.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Thank and Trust
I really love the pilgrims. We have collected a number of them over the years, but these will always be my favorites because we got them when our oldest daughter, Mary Norris, was still a baby. We have them all over the house this time of year as a reminder to thank the Lord--no matter the circumstances--for His goodness and His greatness and to trust Him. Thank and trust. Thank and trust.
Early yesterday morning when I awoke, it was dark, cold, raining hard and I could hear rumbling thunder in the distance. And I'm kept thinking of two things: all those struggling folks dealing with the destruction from Hurricane Sandy... and the pilgrims. They, too, knew a thing or two about storms. Ten long, tempestuous weeks at sea on the Mayflower before arriving in the frigid winter month of November off the coast of New England. The passengers were weak from prolonged seasickness, ill with fevers, chills, and colds. No fresh food, hungry, cold, filthy. And just think, when they finally arrived, there were no hot showers or warm fires or clean, dry clothes, or toasty homes to greet them. Just heavy snow and dense forests and howling winds and icy water. As the days of that first brutal winter wore on, more and more members of this small band of pilgrims sickened and died. By that first spring, half of those who had arrived on the Mayflower just a few months earlier now lay in shallow graves on the windswept hillside.
Yet the first thing the pilgrims did when they first spotted land from the deck of the Mayflower was to fall to their knees, shout for joy, and celebrate by reading Ps. 100.
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him; bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And His faithfulness to all generations.
And despite all they endured, all the death and deprivation, the pilgrims were a people of praise. Such gratitude in the face of unimaginable hardship--if they could offer a sacrifice of praise, how can we not do likewise? John Piper has written, "Remembering our dependence on past mercies kindles gratitude. Gratitude is past-oriented dependence; faith is future-oriented dependence. Both forms of dependency are humble, self-forgetting and God-exalting. If we do not believe that we are deeply dependent on God for all we have or hope to have, then the very spring of gratitude and faith runs dry." It's all from Him; it's all by Him; it's all through Him; it's for Him.
Barbara Rainey has written that "being thankful forces us to take our eyes off ourselves and put them on the Lord. Giving up our self-focus is the kind of denial that pleases God." That's why the Bible often calls it a "sacrifice" of thanksgiving. And I know I could use a lot less self-focus and a lot more God-focus! It's hard to praise and thank when we are fixated on ourselves and our circumstances.
So today, might we remember God's past faithfulness in our lives and in the lives of those courageous men, women and children who came to these shores to worship and live in freedom. And in remembering, might we choose to thank and to trust. Thank God for the known past and trust God for the unknown future.... but a future that He holds in His perfect, powerful hands.
And if He's holding the future, then we are totally, eternally secure. "His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations." To God be the glory.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Puritan gratitude
Food for grateful thoughts this weekend from The Valley of Vision (a very old collection of Puritan prayers and devotions):
Thou Great Three-One,
Author of all blessings I enjoy,
of all I hope for,
Thou hast taught me
that neither the experience of present evils,
nor the remembrances of former sins,
nor the remonstrances of friends,
will or can affect a sinner's heart,
except Thou vouchsafe to reveal Thy grace
and quicken the dead in sin
by the effectual working of Thy Spirit's power.
Thou hast shown me
that the sensible effusions of divine love
in the soul are superior to and distinct from bodily health,
and that oft-times spiritual comforts are
at their highest when physical well-being is at its lowest.
Thou hast given me the ordinance of song
as a means of grace;
Fit me to bear my part in that music ever new,
which elect angels and saints made perfect
now sing before Thy throne and before the Lamb.
I bless Thee for tempering every distress with joy;
too much of the former might weigh me down,
too much of the latter might puff me up;
Thou art wise to give me a taste of both.
I love Thee
for giving me clusters of grapes
in the wilderness
and drops of heavenly wine
that set me longing to have my fill.
Apart from Thee I quickly die,
bereft of Thee I quickly starve,
far from Thee I thirst and droop;
But Thou art all I need.
Let me continually grasp the promise,
'I will never leave thee or forsake thee.'
Thank You, Lord, "author of all blessings" for the gift of Your grace and love and for "tempering every distress with joy." There truly is no pit so deep that You are not deeper still... and You are with us in that pit, tempering our sorrow with Your supernatural joy. And thank You, Lord, that no matter what we are going through, no matter where we are, no matter what we have done, You have promised never ever to leave us or forsake us. Help us to live this day overflowing with gratitude in Your unshakable promises. To God be the glory.
Thou Great Three-One,
Author of all blessings I enjoy,
of all I hope for,
Thou hast taught me
that neither the experience of present evils,
nor the remembrances of former sins,
nor the remonstrances of friends,
will or can affect a sinner's heart,
except Thou vouchsafe to reveal Thy grace
and quicken the dead in sin
by the effectual working of Thy Spirit's power.
Thou hast shown me
that the sensible effusions of divine love
in the soul are superior to and distinct from bodily health,
and that oft-times spiritual comforts are
at their highest when physical well-being is at its lowest.
Thou hast given me the ordinance of song
as a means of grace;
Fit me to bear my part in that music ever new,
which elect angels and saints made perfect
now sing before Thy throne and before the Lamb.
I bless Thee for tempering every distress with joy;
too much of the former might weigh me down,
too much of the latter might puff me up;
Thou art wise to give me a taste of both.
I love Thee
for giving me clusters of grapes
in the wilderness
and drops of heavenly wine
that set me longing to have my fill.
Apart from Thee I quickly die,
bereft of Thee I quickly starve,
far from Thee I thirst and droop;
But Thou art all I need.
Let me continually grasp the promise,
'I will never leave thee or forsake thee.'
Thank You, Lord, "author of all blessings" for the gift of Your grace and love and for "tempering every distress with joy." There truly is no pit so deep that You are not deeper still... and You are with us in that pit, tempering our sorrow with Your supernatural joy. And thank You, Lord, that no matter what we are going through, no matter where we are, no matter what we have done, You have promised never ever to leave us or forsake us. Help us to live this day overflowing with gratitude in Your unshakable promises. To God be the glory.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Choosing laughter
I probably need to add, homework is waaaaaay down the list of things our youngest child enjoys doing--and that means it's not a barrel of laughs for me either--so this seemed like a gift. And how nice and quiet the house was: just perfect for getting a few items crossed off my to do list while our son completed all his homework. I could even start working on dinner. Incredible. Life was just good all the way around, and I was already contemplating writing about this in our Family Thanksgiving Book.
But sometimes gifts come wrapped in unexpected packages.
When our son finally came downstairs, I was positively glowing with pride at how much he had surely accomplished. And the praise was effusive.
I should have suspected all was not quite as it had initially appeared by his slightly quiet demeanor. That... and the Reese's Cups smeared on his shirt. Or the M&M's falling out of his pocket. Or maybe the Skittles melting in his hand. hmmm.
When I walked upstairs that night to read to him, I discovered the evidence of amazing organizational skills I never knew he possessed. I just had to take a picture to preserve the evidence.
And because it was just so funny. You either have to laugh or cry. I choose rejoicing. So maybe we have a wee bit of trouble with focusing on homework, but we sure do know how to evaluate, separate, categorize and organize.... candy, that is... and eat. We've got that one down pat, too. Especially chocolate. Blame the mama.
So today, let's choose thanksgiving in life's little ups and downs. In any given situation, we really can choose how we respond, can't we? We can't control the circumstances, but we can choose our response.
We can choose love rather than irritation. We can choose hope rather than discouragement. We can choose forgiveness rather than resentment. We can choose looking for the best rather than digging for the dirt. We can choose trust rather than worry. And we can choose thanking rather than complaining.
And we can always choose to remember that life is a gift... and it truly is filled with so many funny moments, so don't forget to laugh! Maybe you don't need reminding, but I do. Sometimes I need to preach myself a little sermon to remind myself of the priceless gift of choosing my attitude and perspective.
So thank You Lord for the gifts of laughter and children and candy... and of Your Holy Spirit that provides us all that we need to respond to any circumstance with a Christ-like attitude of joy and peace.
Maybe it's time to eat a Reese's Cup and celebrate.
To God--the source and sustainer of true joy--be all the glory.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Waiting with us
Choosing today to be thankful even in our waiting times. Perhaps for many of us, the hardest sacrifice of praise--to thank God in the midst of waiting.
We have many dear friends who are enduring almost suffocating waiting. Waiting for God to heal. Waiting for God to move the seemingly immovable stone.
All of us have surely been there... multiple times. Waiting to get married. Waiting for a baby. Waiting for college. Waiting for that test result. Waiting for healing. Waiting for restoration. Hard waiting, uncertain waiting, scary waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting and praying. Praying and waiting... and sometimes wondering, does God see? Does He care? Will He act?... while you continue to wait and pray...
We did a lot of that during those long days at the hospital. And knowing the human condition, well, that means all of you are enduring some kind of waiting in your lives right now, too.
Yesterday, I was reading in Genesis and was reminded afresh of the long, hard waiting Abraham and Sarah endured before God finally gave them the long-promised--but awfully long-delayed--baby, Isaac. 25 years they waited. 25 years.
Right now in John 6 we see the disciples caught in the midst of a storm on the Sea of Galilee. It was late at night, wind whipping, waves crashing. And the disciples rowed 3 to 4 miles in the midst of all that dark mess--we're told that would have been about 7 hours of rowing.
Think of that: 7. Straight. Hours. Rowing, rowing, rowing in the darkness and wind. Wondering where on earth Jesus could be, and why on earth did He send us out into this mess, and why doesn't He come and save us. Does He see? Does He care? Will He act?
And then suddenly, out of the darkness, the disciples see Him. They think He's a ghost. I wonder, has He been there all along? Or at least been there for quite some time? Perhaps. We can be certain He knew exactly where His disciples were, what they were enduring, and how they were faring. He knew all about the storm. In fact, Jesus sent them out into the sea knowing the storm would blow up. O, He saw all right. He cared. And He would act.
Because here's the thing: He's the God of the storm. He can calm storms and create them with a word. And if He's allowed us to enter a storm, to endure countless hours of hard rowing and rowing and waiting and wondering, well then, He has a plan. A far greater plan than we can see or imagine. And He's doing something bigger and greater with our storms and our hard waiting.
And He's with us while we row. Out there in that dark stormy mess--He's there.
"When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they were glad to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going." (John 6:19-21)
Jesus was out there on top of those crashing waves; right there in the water beside them. Only they couldn't see Him. They were so focused on rowing hard and waiting long that they missed the Savior with them in the storm. But when they realized that He saw, He cared, He was there, they were no longer afraid, and they gladly took Him into their boat of waiting.
And immediately the boat arrived where it was going. Because Jesus has the power to calm the storm or calm us in the waiting... or to get us through all that long, hard waiting and to get us safely home. All the way through the waiting. All the way home.
So today, it may be a sacrifice of praise, but will you thank Him in your waiting? Maybe not thank Him for the waiting, but thank Him in it. Because in our waiting, He is teaching us and shaping us and molding us into His perfect likeness. He's teaching us to trust that He is there with us in the darkness, and He will get us all the way home... all for His glory, and all for our good. And we will be glad.
O, so glad.
To God, who waits with us and promises to use our waiting for greater glorious good, be all the glory.
We have many dear friends who are enduring almost suffocating waiting. Waiting for God to heal. Waiting for God to move the seemingly immovable stone.
All of us have surely been there... multiple times. Waiting to get married. Waiting for a baby. Waiting for college. Waiting for that test result. Waiting for healing. Waiting for restoration. Hard waiting, uncertain waiting, scary waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting and praying. Praying and waiting... and sometimes wondering, does God see? Does He care? Will He act?... while you continue to wait and pray...
We did a lot of that during those long days at the hospital. And knowing the human condition, well, that means all of you are enduring some kind of waiting in your lives right now, too.
Yesterday, I was reading in Genesis and was reminded afresh of the long, hard waiting Abraham and Sarah endured before God finally gave them the long-promised--but awfully long-delayed--baby, Isaac. 25 years they waited. 25 years.
Right now in John 6 we see the disciples caught in the midst of a storm on the Sea of Galilee. It was late at night, wind whipping, waves crashing. And the disciples rowed 3 to 4 miles in the midst of all that dark mess--we're told that would have been about 7 hours of rowing.
Think of that: 7. Straight. Hours. Rowing, rowing, rowing in the darkness and wind. Wondering where on earth Jesus could be, and why on earth did He send us out into this mess, and why doesn't He come and save us. Does He see? Does He care? Will He act?
And then suddenly, out of the darkness, the disciples see Him. They think He's a ghost. I wonder, has He been there all along? Or at least been there for quite some time? Perhaps. We can be certain He knew exactly where His disciples were, what they were enduring, and how they were faring. He knew all about the storm. In fact, Jesus sent them out into the sea knowing the storm would blow up. O, He saw all right. He cared. And He would act.
Because here's the thing: He's the God of the storm. He can calm storms and create them with a word. And if He's allowed us to enter a storm, to endure countless hours of hard rowing and rowing and waiting and wondering, well then, He has a plan. A far greater plan than we can see or imagine. And He's doing something bigger and greater with our storms and our hard waiting.
And He's with us while we row. Out there in that dark stormy mess--He's there.
"When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they were glad to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going." (John 6:19-21)
Jesus was out there on top of those crashing waves; right there in the water beside them. Only they couldn't see Him. They were so focused on rowing hard and waiting long that they missed the Savior with them in the storm. But when they realized that He saw, He cared, He was there, they were no longer afraid, and they gladly took Him into their boat of waiting.
And immediately the boat arrived where it was going. Because Jesus has the power to calm the storm or calm us in the waiting... or to get us through all that long, hard waiting and to get us safely home. All the way through the waiting. All the way home.
So today, it may be a sacrifice of praise, but will you thank Him in your waiting? Maybe not thank Him for the waiting, but thank Him in it. Because in our waiting, He is teaching us and shaping us and molding us into His perfect likeness. He's teaching us to trust that He is there with us in the darkness, and He will get us all the way home... all for His glory, and all for our good. And we will be glad.
O, so glad.
To God, who waits with us and promises to use our waiting for greater glorious good, be all the glory.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Thankful for those before
Happy day after Reformation Day! On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the Wittemberg church door. Thus began the Protestant Reformation. One act of courageous obedience by a young monk sparked a revolution that changed the course of history. Thank You for His courage, Lord, and might we be men and women of courage as well, as we face the challenges of our day.
One quick story about Luther that I have always loved: During a particularly hard and difficult period of his life, Luther was carrying some heavy burdens and fighting a number of battles. Although usually of a happy and smiling disposition, Luther had become quite depressed and worried. His busy wife, Katherine, endured this for a number of days. Finally, one day Katherine met him at the door of their home wearing a black mourning dress.
"Who died?" Luther asked.
"God," Katherine responded.
"You foolish thing!" Luther told her. "Why this foolishness?"
"It is true," she insisted. "God must have died, or Doctor Luther would not be so sorrowful."
As he gazed at his wife, Luther was reminded of Who was in complete control, and he snapped out of his despondency.
So today, just a short and simple thanksgiving: for those who have gone before us and paved the way by their faithfulness. Thank you, Martin Luther. Thank You for your obedience, for your courage, and for your reminder that salvation is a gift from God by faith alone.
Thank you, John Calvin. Thank you, C.S. Lewis. Thank you, John Wesley. Thank you Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Thank you Amy Carmichael. Thank you Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Thank you for teaching us with your words, but more importantly for showing us with your lives.
Thank you parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles who have gone before us. Thank you for the irreplaceable gift and joy of family in our lives. Thank you for friends who have led the way to heaven and given the gift of love. Thank You, Lord, for all those who have come before us in faithfulness and love. Might we leave such a legacy of grace and good for those who come after us.
And just one little practical suggestion: Start a "Family Thanksgiving Book" each november. We have a battered, splattered with stains, spiral bound notebook that we pull out every November 1st. Most days of November (the goal is everyday, but that never happens--we are all about grace around here, because we need it!) we just try to get everyone to share about something for which they are thankful. And then we write it down. Just for the month of november, and then we put it away until the next year.
We began ours Nov. 1, 1995. Just to give you a taste of how profound our entries can be, the first page opens with a drawing and scribbles by our then 6 year old. It is labeled, "bunny butterflies"--not too certain what that is--and that is what she was thankful for. A few days later, our 4 year old son was thankful for clowns. The next day he was thankful for grapes, while his sister was thankful for her grandparents coming to grandparents day at Root Elementary that day. One common theme:when they couldn't think of anything else, they'd usually say, "I'm thankful for God." Well, you can't go wrong there!
We now love to pull it out, and after we add our daily thanksgivings, we sometimes look back at the evidences of God's past faithfulness in our lives--through the loss of grandparents, the birth of babies... well, just life, one day at a time. And God is always good, and His gifts just keep on coming.
So today, be thankful!! Remember those who have gone before, and thank the Lord. And if you can, write it down. To God be the glory.
One quick story about Luther that I have always loved: During a particularly hard and difficult period of his life, Luther was carrying some heavy burdens and fighting a number of battles. Although usually of a happy and smiling disposition, Luther had become quite depressed and worried. His busy wife, Katherine, endured this for a number of days. Finally, one day Katherine met him at the door of their home wearing a black mourning dress.
"Who died?" Luther asked.
"God," Katherine responded.
"You foolish thing!" Luther told her. "Why this foolishness?"
"It is true," she insisted. "God must have died, or Doctor Luther would not be so sorrowful."
As he gazed at his wife, Luther was reminded of Who was in complete control, and he snapped out of his despondency.
So today, just a short and simple thanksgiving: for those who have gone before us and paved the way by their faithfulness. Thank you, Martin Luther. Thank You for your obedience, for your courage, and for your reminder that salvation is a gift from God by faith alone.
Thank you, John Calvin. Thank you, C.S. Lewis. Thank you, John Wesley. Thank you Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Thank you Amy Carmichael. Thank you Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Thank you for teaching us with your words, but more importantly for showing us with your lives.
Thank you parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles who have gone before us. Thank you for the irreplaceable gift and joy of family in our lives. Thank you for friends who have led the way to heaven and given the gift of love. Thank You, Lord, for all those who have come before us in faithfulness and love. Might we leave such a legacy of grace and good for those who come after us.
And just one little practical suggestion: Start a "Family Thanksgiving Book" each november. We have a battered, splattered with stains, spiral bound notebook that we pull out every November 1st. Most days of November (the goal is everyday, but that never happens--we are all about grace around here, because we need it!) we just try to get everyone to share about something for which they are thankful. And then we write it down. Just for the month of november, and then we put it away until the next year.
We began ours Nov. 1, 1995. Just to give you a taste of how profound our entries can be, the first page opens with a drawing and scribbles by our then 6 year old. It is labeled, "bunny butterflies"--not too certain what that is--and that is what she was thankful for. A few days later, our 4 year old son was thankful for clowns. The next day he was thankful for grapes, while his sister was thankful for her grandparents coming to grandparents day at Root Elementary that day. One common theme:when they couldn't think of anything else, they'd usually say, "I'm thankful for God." Well, you can't go wrong there!
We now love to pull it out, and after we add our daily thanksgivings, we sometimes look back at the evidences of God's past faithfulness in our lives--through the loss of grandparents, the birth of babies... well, just life, one day at a time. And God is always good, and His gifts just keep on coming.
So today, be thankful!! Remember those who have gone before, and thank the Lord. And if you can, write it down. To God be the glory.
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