WATCHWORD:
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
Meditation:
Gratitude Attitude
In 1946, Annie Get Your Gun, the musical, landed on the Broadway stage and was a big hit. It was made into a movie in 1950 and had a revival on Broadway and in London in 1986. So many hit songs came from Irving Berlin and colleagues. If you are among the “mature”, as I am, you can probably sing many, even without the music. “They say that falling in love is wonderful”, “Doin’ what comes natur’ily”, “There’s no business like show business,” or “Got the sun in the morning”, many sung by Ethel Mermen as Annie Oakley:
Got no diamond, got no pearl, Still I think I’m a lucky girl.
I’ve got the sun in the morning And the moon at night.
Got no mansion, got no yacht, Still I’m thankful for what I got.
I’ve got the sun in the morning And the moon at night
Gratitude. Being thankful for ALL that God has given us. That is “all”, everything, right down to the stubbed toe, the hug of a grandchild, the argument with a loved one, the restful night’s sleep, the pain in our knees, the disappointments, a new friend, the sudden loss of a loved one, everything. The goods and the bads. It all flows from the hands of our Lord and makes up our life.
Your life and mine are all part of His master plan. Sure, we would like to have a mansion and a yacht, we would like more moola in the bank, but, whatever your state of affairs, express your thanks, for what you got!
Am I wrong? Or, does our attitude too often over-shadow our gratitude. In the midst of a heated argument with a loved one, it is hard to say “Thank You, Jesus”. Still, that is a loved one you are having a disagreement with. You know, the loved one, a gift from God. A difference of opinion? Your opinion. Another gift from God.
I challenge you to find something in the full span of your life that isn’t part of God’s master plan for you. Anything. A bad decision, you say, that you made, not God? But you made that decision based on God’s gift to you of free will. Right?
Alright, cut to the chase. Our lives follow a plan that is both smooth and rough. Adversity sets us back, makes us sad and fills us with grief. Then, there are times of insane happiness and we cannot stop singing. And so it goes, the ups and the downs, each one a sign that God is in charge and that He loves us, dearly. It is all one piece. A persisting attitude of gratitude would thank Him for the ups, and for the downs. Hard to do? Of course, it is. But here is where our security comes in, we are His children. We are His; lock, stock and barrel. Amen.
Today’s Lenten Passage to Ponder:
1 Samuel 15:22: But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
Lenten Prayer:
Lord, I pray that I wouldn’t make Lent about myself this year, but instead, help me make it about Your great love for me through Your sacrifice of Jesus. Help me to focus on your love above all else. Thank you, Jesus, for giving Your life for mine. Amen.
