"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever!"
~1 Chronicles 16:34
I
came across this little story or parable in a book and I would like
to share it with you today.
One
afternoon a shopper at the local mall felt the need for a coffee break. She bought herself a little bag of cookies
and put them in her shopping bag. She
then got in line for coffee, found a place to sit at one of the crowded tables,
and then taking the lid off her coffee and taking out a magazine she began to
sip her coffee and read. Across the
table from her a man sat reading a newspaper.
After
a minute or two she reached out and took a cookie. As she did, the man seated
across the table reached out and took one too.
This put her off, but she did not say anything.
A
few moments later she took another cookie.
Once again the man did so too.
Now she was getting a bit upset, but still she did not say anything.
After
having a couple of sips of coffee she once again took another cookie. So did the man. She was really upset by this - especially
since now only one cookie was left.
Apparently the man also realized that only one cookie was left. Before she could say anything he took it,
broke it in half, offered half to her, and proceeded to eat the other half
himself. Then he smiled at her and,putting
the paper under his arm, rose and walked off.
Was
she steamed. Her coffee break ruined,
already thinking ahead of how she would tell this offense to her family, she
folded her magazine, opened her shopping bag, and there discovered her own
unopened bag of cookies.
I like that story - it makes me think about how well
God treats me even when I am not treating him well or thinking all that kindly
about him. It
also makes me think about how, sometimes, I do not really appreciate what I
have or act like I know where it has come from. It serves as a kind of reminder to me - like
that reminder in today's old testament reading.
There,
Moses, after telling the people of Israel how they will prosper in the promised
land that they are about to enter, how, after so many years of slavery and then
of wandering in the wilderness, they will eat their fill, and have fine houses
and large herds, and that their silver and gold will multiply, says:
Do
not say to yourself, "my power and the might of my own hand have gotten me
this wealth." But remember the Lord
your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm
his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, and as he swearing to you
today."
Chapter
eight of Deuteronomy is really one of my favorite chapters of the Old
Testament. It speaks so well of what we
all know somewhere in our hearts,
but
often seem to forget in our actions and our attitudes.
It
speaks of how everything we have is a gift from God, a gift worked upon by our
hands, most certainly; a gift perhaps even enhanced by our own strength,
but
a gift none-the -less, for God gives us the hands we need, and God gives us the
strength we have.
Would
that I would remember this at all times - it would make my life so much easier,
and it would bless everyone around me, and it would bless God..
Not
so long ago famous people all over the world were polled by a magazine which
asked them the question - "if you could be granted one wish that will come
true right now - what would that be?"
There
were some very interesting responses - but one response impressed the
magazine's editors so much that they commented on. That response was this -
"I wish that I could be given
an even greater ability to appreciate all that I already have."
It
is an interesting answer, an interesting thing to wish for.
What
do you think would happen if each one of us suddenly became a more thankful
person? If all of us suddenly became a
more appreciative people?
I
don't know what comes to your minds - but I know for sure that when I was
younger my mother would have been really pleased; and now that I am older -
well I know that my husband would be very happy if I expressed my appreciation
a little bit more than I already do - I know that because he tells me so
whenever I am apparently forgetting who he is and what he does.
No
one likes to be taken for granted - or to see someone that they love taking
things for granted.
All
of us like to be appreciated, all of us like to be thanked, and all of us, I
believe, like to see those we love live thankful lives, appreciative lives, so
much so that we teach our children this virtue
- at our supper tables,
- during birthday parties,
- in the middle of visits from their
grandparents,
- and just about anytime that they
are receiving something
from someone or asking someone for something.
It
is a great thing to teach our kids to say please and thank you, it helps them
out in this world, and it is a great thing to be appreciated, to be thanked; but
as we think with holy and prayerful minds today - as we thank God in our
worship service for the harvest we are all enjoying, I ask you - as I ask
myself - where is your sense of thankfulness at? How complete is it? How deep does it run in your life?
I
Thessalonians, chapter five, verse eighteen says
"Give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you."
and
in Ephesians, chapter five, where Paul is telling new Christians how they
should live, it says:
"Give
thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ."
The
norm and the standard of the early church of the disciples and the apostles was
really incredible and it had incredible results in the lives of those disciples
and apostles, and in the lives of all those around them.
They
lived happy and triumphant lives, they rejoiced even when they were being
afflicted and persecuted, and their fellowship continually grew until it
reached the ends of the earth.
Give
thanks in all circumstances.
Give
thanks for everything.
Give
thanks at all times.
This
is a step beyond remembering God and thanking God for all the wealth that we
enjoy in this our promised land. Beyond remembering God and
obeying his commands because he has given us fine houses and filled our
bellies. Beyond thanking God, as the leper thanked God, for healing him
through Jesus of his disease.
This
is "thanks - living" - and
it is demanding - and it is rewarding.
I
say it is demanding - because quite frankly when I am feeling pressed to wall I
find it difficult to fulfill the word that says:
"Do
not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
And
when I am feeling struck down by some affliction or angry at someone for
doing something that seems to me to be thoughtless; or upset at my dog for his
having escaped out the door in the morning and run off down the street;
I
have difficulty feeling grateful to God for the circumstances I am in.
Instead
of wanting to praise God - or to pray to him about the situation with
thanksgiving,
- I want to feel sorry for myself and
the trouble I am in
- and I want to throttle the dog,
because I know darn well
that when Laddie escapes and runs off
to school he is not
going to come back home any smarter
than he was before.
How
about you?
Do
you have a faith that is thankful in everything?
Your challenge this week is to create a project using this scripture or another verse of thanksgiving. When uploading your project, please use keyword ODBDBVT56 and then hop over to Our Daily Bread Designs Forum and share it with us!
Supplies for this project
Cardstock: Truly Yours – Black Card Base; Bazzill –
Black; Hero Layering Paper – Terra Cotta
Decorative Paper: BoBunny ; Tim Holtz
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs – Give Thanks
Inks, Stains, Paints
& Colored Pencils: Prismacolor
Pencils; Ranger Distress Ink; Versafine Ink
Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!
