Today's scripture: Psalm 26:6-8
Thanksgiving. Giving thanks. Showing gratitude.
Sometimes, I get so caught up in the day-to-day "stuff" of like, I
forget how truly, truly blessed I am. I focus on what's wrong rather than what
is amazingly right. I get caught up in daily pain or stress instead of reveling
in the joy I have just being the daughter of my Father.
I want to have an "attitude of gratitude." I want to wake up every
morning, thanking God for a new day to do His purpose. I want to "count my
blessings." Remember that old chorus?
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
The song goes on for seven stanzas, ending with:
Count your blessings, count them seven by seven,
Count your many blessings, count them all the way to heaven!
Even on the darkest days when the very act of moving causes pain, I can count
my blessings.
I can thank Him for grace and mercy. I can thank Him for my supportive, loving
husband. I can thank Him for a flexible, purposeful vocation. I can thank Him
for a lovely home. I can thank Him for friends and family. I can thank Him for
my four-legged fur-baby.
I can even thank Him for the pain that keeps my mind and heart close to Him.
Every day, I can "proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of
[His] wondrous works."
Every day.
Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:1-4
“Christ … is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.”
Our God—Father, Son, and Spirit—is all powerful and almighty (Genesis 17:1;
Revelation 1:8). He is our stronghold (2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 9:9; 62:2). And
Jesus Christ, God the Son, is in each of us who has accepted the gift of
salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection. He is indeed “mighty” in
each of us.
And because He provides strength in us, although we are “weak in Him, yet we
will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward” each of us.
These are amazing, affirming, encouraging, and humbling words.
I certainly feel weak … most of the time. The many health issues with which I
deal often make even getting out of bed a challenge. Yet, I still have to take
care of the major priorities on my “to do” list. So I pray for extra strength …
a lot. And my Lord God provides just what I need to do what needs to be done.
And so I “… sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your
lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress (Psalm 59:6).
For He is indeed power in me.
Today's scripture: Psalm 26:6-8
Thanksgiving. Giving thanks. Showing gratitude.
Sometimes, I get so caught up in the day-to-day "stuff" of life, I
forget how truly, truly blessed I am. I focus on what's wrong rather than what
is amazingly right. I get caught up in daily pain or stress instead of reveling
in the joy I have just being the daughter of my Father.
I want to have an "attitude of gratitude." I want to wake up every
morning, thanking God for a new day to do His purpose. I want to "count my
blessings." Remember that old chorus?
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
The song goes on for seven stanzas, ending with:
Count your blessings, count them seven by seven,
Count your many blessings, count them all the way to heaven!
Even on the darkest days when the very act of moving causes pain, I can count
my blessings.
I can thank Him for grace and mercy. I can thank Him for my supportive, loving
husband. I can thank Him for a flexible, purposeful vocation. I can thank Him
for a lovely home. I can thank Him for friends and family. I can thank Him for
my two four-legged kids.
I can even thank Him for the pain that keeps my mind and heart close to Him.
Every day, I can "proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of
[His] wondrous works."
Every day.
Today's scripture: Psalm 145:8-9
Grace has been defined as getting what we don't deserve. We don't deserve
salvation. We don't deserve being in relationship with God. We don't deserve
the promise of eternity with Him.
Mercy has been defined as not getting what we do deserve. We deserve
punishment. We deserve being separate from God, here on earth and through all
eternity.
We are sinful, rebellious people, yet because of His amazing love and goodness,
God offers both grace and mercy.
He blesses us so much—much more than we deserve. We have food, clothing, and
shelter. We have friends and family. We have financial provision. He often
heals and always comforts.
But even more, He blesses us with salvation and reconciliation with Himself.
Even though He knows the choices we'll make, the times we'll turn from doing
His will, the seasons when we'll neglect Him, He still offers grace and love
and mercy.
As you ponder this amazing thought, give thanks to Him. Express your gratitude
for His blessings. His love.
His grace. His mercy.
Today's
scripture: Psalm 30:11-12
Some of you are in the deepest of valleys. You've lost a loved one. You can't find
work. Your health is failing. You have a prodigal child.
You're mourning. You're wearing figurative sackcloth. And you can't imagine
dancing ... perhaps ever again.
I don't in any way want to diminish your pain or suffering or loss. You need to
grieve. You need to weep.
But may I encourage you to do something else? May I encourage you to "sing
praises to [God] and not be silent"? May I encourage you to "give
thanks to [God] forever"?
I know this may seem impossible, and I certainly don't know your exact pain. I
do, however, know my own, and I do remember a time when I let suffering steal
my joy; I didn't offer any praise or thanks to the Lord. For too many
years, I allowed experiences with abuse to keep me in perpetual mourning.
It was only when I fell to my knees in utter and complete surrender to God—knowing
if I didn't, I would likely not survive the pain—that I finally found gladness.
I was finally able to dance ... even in the storm.
I still grieve sometimes over lost years and current ill health. Yet, even in
the pain, I still dance. I still praise. I still thank my God.
If you're mourning today, certainly allow yourself to grieve. But in your
grieving, go to your God. Ask Him for His supernatural peace ... and praise
Him.
Today's scripture: Psalm 34:2
We who follow Christ are so blessed ... so very blessed. First, we are blessed
with life itself. Our bodies are so intricately made, or as the psalmist
writes, "fearfully [awesomely] and wonderfully made" (139:14).
Second, we are blessed with relationships. Our families. Our friends. God
created us for relationship, and whether we have large, noisy families and a
whole passel of friends or a small, intimate family and just a few close
friends, we are blessed with those people who make us laugh, who grieve
alongside us, who build us up and make us stronger.
Third, we are blessed with provision of all our needs. We have roofs over our
heads, food in our bellies. We have clothes on our backs. Oftentimes, we're
blessed with even more than what we need ... just icing on the cake.
So, what does all this blessing have to do with today's verse about
"boasting in the Lord"? When we stop to think of how much God loves
us and how He chooses to bless us, we should rejoice in Him and praise Him,
certainly. But we should also give all glory to Him for whom we are and what we
have.
Then, when others see how we recognize how He and He alone works in our lives,
when we humbly give thanks for His many blessings, they'll rejoice with us. And
perhaps those who don't know Him themselves may want to meet this God who gives
so much to His children.
Today’s
scripture: 1 John 1:1-4
For the next few weeks, we’re going to spend time with a member of Jesus’ inner
circle. John, the “beloved” disciple chosen by Jesus to care for His mother,
walked by Jesus’ side for three years. He ate with Him. Learned from Him. Saw
miracle upon miracle. John was Jesus’ intimate friend as well as a devoted
follower.
He was an eyewitness. And what he wrote in this first of three short books is
truth. The words come from a grateful heart, a joyful heart. And it was his
deepest desire that others might know the truth of God—Father, Son, and Spirit.
Jesus. The Word of Life. Through Him we have eternal life. Through Him we have
fellowship with the Father.
And John was blessed to have known Him well. And as we spend time reading and
meditating on John’s words, we’ll know Him better as well.
