An Attitude of Gratitude

Our pastor recently made an interesting suggestion: keep a jar in a visible place in your house. Each day, write something you are grateful for on a little scrap of paper and place it in the jar. At the end of the year, open the jar, read, and remember all those occasions you had to be grateful.

Because I thought this was such a good idea, I decided it would be an excellent 2013 project. So, this morning, the first day of 2013, I retrieved a Mason jar from a shelf in the basement storage room. I set it in the kitchen next to the refrigerator where I’d be sure to see it and remember to put in my first gratitude paper.

 

In the back of my mind I thought about this all day. As I went about my daily activities I thought about what I was grateful for and what I’d write on my slip of paper. After a while I realized that just considering what to put in my gratitude jar changed my attitude. My thoughts focused on what was good in my life and why I should be grateful for it. This left no room for negative thoughts.

Hopefully, I can put a slip of paper into the gratitude jar every day, without forgetting a single day. I’m curious to see how this action will affect my overall attitude. How will I act on those days when I’m sick or something tragic happens to me, a family member, or a friend? Will I be able to see the blessings in the difficult times and still find reasons to be grateful? If I place something in the gratitude jar every day, I’m certain this will have a positive influence on my life.

Isn’t the gratitude jar just a modern way of helping people to focus on Biblical principals? In the middle of intense suffering and persecution, Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” If Paul could speak this way during such difficult times, surely I can find at least one thing to be grateful for every day for the next 365 days. Daily, I can find a reason to rejoice! Won’t you join me?

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

The Unopened Gift

Remember the last time you received a gift-wrapped package from someone?  Picture the box, wrapped in iridescent white paper, and tied with a beautiful bow. When you were handed this gift,what did you do?  Did you open it immediately, eager to see what was inside?  Did you want to
personally thank the one who gave you such a gift?  I suspect that most would open the gift right away so the giver of the gift could see the pleasure on your face as you received this present. But did you ever take a beautifully gift-wrapped package, put it on a shelf or in the closet, and leave it there unopened?  I can’t imagine doing such a thing, can you?

After you gave a gift to a loved one, would you be offended if that person never opened it?  Would it bother you if you paid a good deal of money to purchase this gift, only to have it sit, unopened, on the shelf?  Or what if you hand-made a gift, and spent countless hours laboring, in love, to create something special?  Would you be upset if the recipient of this gift didn’t even open it?

The one who longs to give us good gifts is God, our heavenly father. We are quickly able to receive His gifts of love and peace. We may at times neglect to use these gifts, but we have opened them and have expressed our gratitude to God for His generosity.

There is one gift from God, however, that we often find difficult to open:  the gift of forgiveness. Psalm 86:5 (NKJ) says, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.”  Unfortunately, many of us believe that our sins are just too terrible, so we cling to them. We know God forgives sins, but He surely won’t forgive this?   We just can’t force ourselves to untie the bow and tear open the paper to receive the gift of forgiveness. Sometimes the problem is that we can’t forgive ourselves. “How could I have ever done that horrible thing?” we might wonder, and the beautifully wrapped package stays on the shelf, untouched.

God paid a great deal to give each of us this gift of forgiveness. He spent a great deal of time laboring on this gift as well, thirty-three years, as a matter of fact. For thirty-three years God’s son lived as a man on this earth, away from His home in heaven. That’s a long time to work on a gift of love. And He paid a high cost for this gift, too: He paid with His life. Don’t you think He would want us to open this gift?

Father God, forgive me. Forgive my many sins, both those I have recently committed and those of long ago that I harbor in my heart. Help me accept Your gift, wrapped in love and the sacrifice of Your son. Help me take it off the shelf, unwrap it and accept the forgiveness inside.

I John 1: 8-9 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is
not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Is There Room at the Inn?

For several weeks now I’ve been busily preparing for the holidays. The house is decked out in its Christmas finery: the tree is lit, garlands cover the stairway and windows, and angels and nativities adorn the tabletops.  Holiday meals are cooked, ready to be eaten, and the pantry is stocked. Lots of high calorie treats wait for children and grandchildren to indulge. Gifts, wrapped in red, blue, and green, sit under the tree, waiting to be opened and enjoyed. After all the hard work and preparations, I’m finally ready for Christmas! Now all I have to do is wait for loved ones to arrive and the celebrating will begin!

While I’ve worked, preparing for the holidays, my mind has wondered about the preparations Mary must have made. Like all pregnant women, she must have made special plans to prepare for the birth of the wee one in her womb. Since Joseph was a skilled carpenter, Mary surely asked him to make a lovely cradle for her soon-to-be-born infant. She must have arranged for her mother and at least one other woman to assist with the birth.

I wonder how the trip to Bethlehem impacted her plans. Did it make her fret and worry? Did she cry, thinking she might have her child while on the trip? Or did she calmly prepare, trusting in God to provide? Did she pack some food for the trip? Perhaps she prepared some bread, dried fish, and some dates and figs for their journey. Surely she carried some swaddling clothes, anticipating the birth of her child.

In spite of her preparations, Mary surely wasn’t prepared when she went into labor in a town so far from home. Did she cry for her mother? Was she frightened when they could not find a room at an inn? In spite of her plans and preparations, this baby was coming! In a quiet corner of a little village, in the company of stable animals, Mary gave birth. Surely this birth didn’t happen the way she had planned. But the birth of the Son of the living God as a tiny, helpless infant happened precisely the way God planned.

 

In spite of any of Mary’s preparations, because there was no room at the inn, Mary’s baby was born in a humble stable. I suppose the real question isn’t how Mary planned and prepared for the birth of her son.  Here is the question: as I make my human preparations to celebrate the Savior’s birth, have I left room for Him in my inn?  

Ephesians 3:16, 17a "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strenghthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith."

Skeletons in the Bathroom

Gaunt and bare, like skeletons stripped of their flesh, they stand. High on the top shelf in the bathroom, squeezed almost dry, the tubes of lotion call to me. Each stands nearly empty: the lotion within, too precious to throw away. Yet, in my rush to lather on the lotion and hurry out the door, I don’t take time to squeeze out the last of it. So I use a new tube, and remind myself that I must later take time to squeeze the lotion from each of the nearly empty tubes. Maybe over the weekend I can find some extra time to use the lotion left in these tubes. But I get busy, I forget, and they stand as reminders of what I need to do. Today is Saturday, and the day is young. This morning I will find time to use the leftover lotion, and then I can, in good conscience, throw the empty tube in the trash. I need to do this so I can clear some space on the top shelf. 

Hmm, now that I think about it, doesn’t my soul need a little squeezing too? Perhaps I need to devote more time to my soul, squeezing out all of God’s wisdom and blessings, daily covering myself with the lotion of God’s love. Then I can throw out the empty, lifeless areas of my life that are not pleasing to God and clear more space for Him on my top shelf.

Father God, help me to place you always on the top shelf of my life so that my spiritual life will not be bare bones, but instead be vibrantly alive.

Psalm 26:6 “Test me O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”

The Physician's Advice

Recently, I had an MRI.  As I lay inside the narrow cylinder, the machine whirred, clanked and peered deep inside my body.  It didn’t care how I appeared on the outside, only on the inside.   After the doctor reads the MRI, he will decide on an appropriate course of action to make me whole again.  It’s up to me to follow the doctor’s orders. 

Just as the doctor looks within the body in order to heal, so God looks deep within his loved ones for diagnosis and healing.  The great Physician doesn’t care how we appear on the outside; his only concern is those sins entrenched in the soul.  God sees deep inside, understanding all our thoughts and sins. 

Once God informs us what sin lies within, he gives us specific actions to remedy our spiritual ailments.  Forgiveness is a common prescription, as is repentance.  Instead of bed rest, the patient may need quiet time alone with God, in His word and in prayer.  Whatever spiritual ailments we possess, God provides the cure.  It is up to us to take our prescriptions and follow his bidding.

Master physician, as you look deep within my soul, keep my mind and heart willing to follow your spiritual advice.

Psalm 139:1 "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me."

Flowing Over the Obstacles

The stream meanders, making its lazy way through piles of fallen leaves, gray, barren trees, and rich, fertile earth.  My feet crunch the brown, yellow, red, and rust colored leaves as I walk closer to the little stream. Bending and twisting, it flows around the rocks and under the narrow walking bridge. Algae flourishes just beneath its surface, giving this little stream its green color.

 I find a flat rock near the edge of the stream where I can sit and enjoy its simple beauty. From my vantage point a few feet above the stream, I can observe its meandering path. As it flows from one bend to another, the lazy waters flow silently, peacefully, unimpeded.

 As I scan the length of the stream from my rocky perch, I notice how the water changes when it hits an obstacle: a rock, a fallen tree limb, or a constricted pathway. Then the smooth flow changes. The water roils, bubbling up out of its bed, falling back again, leaving a visible trail.

Even more important than the changed look of the stream is its changed sound. It flows ever so quietly until it hits one of those obstacles. It’s then that the silent stream gurgles. You know, that musical, joyful gurgling sound that water makes. Hmm…where the path is free and easy, the water flows silently. It’s only when obstacles lie in its path that the water sings.

How often I find myself complaining instead of singing when difficulties snag my way.

Lord, when the way proves tough, give me a song to sing.

Isaiah 49:13 “Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth, burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.”

The Light of the World

Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

 

The Light of the World

 

Light—it is available at the flip of a switch.  Even in the darkness of night, we can light a room, an entire building, or the outdoors as brightly as daylight.  We have lights in every room, on nearly every street corner, and even our highways.  Businesses are brightly lit, even when closed; neon lights beckon us to shop, eat, repair, and relax. You name it, we light it.  With all of this electric light, do you think it strange that candles are so popular?  Didn’t they, after all, become obsolete when Edison invented the electric light?  A candle gives only a faint glow in a darkened room, not enough to clearly see across the room, nor to easily read.  Curious, isn’t it?  Today, when we light the whole world with electricity, candlelight is popular.

God’s Holy Word is filled with imagery of light.  When God created the world, He said, Let there be light and there was light.  In John 1:4&5, Jesus is referred to as light.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There were no electric lights when Jesus walked on earth, but the impact of His life was electric!  People flocked from miles around to see Him, to hear Him speak, and to witness His miracles.  The religious leaders were so intimidated, they conspired to put Him to death.  Their intent was to extinguish Jesus’ light.  For three days it appeared His light had been extinguished.

Jesus Christ came to light the darkness: the darkness of evil, the darkness of ignorance of His saving power.  He accomplished this by being born as a human, by dying at the hands of men, being raised from the dead and ascending to heaven.  After He ascended, what happened to His light on earth?  His spirit came to kindle a light in each of us.  Matthew wrote the following about the believers in Christ:  You are the light of the world….  Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (5:14a &16 NKJ). 

Frequently, I have been the recipient of good works.  When my children were small, my husband and I were young and poor.  Others shed their lights on us in many ways:   gifts of food, money, hand-me-down clothing, time and assistance.  While each gift was small, together they dispelled the darkness of doubt, poverty, and fatigue.  More importantly, by reflecting God’s love, each giver revealed to us more of God’s light.  Over the years I have realized this: In sharing God’s light, I can chase away dark times for others by speaking kind words, sharing my time, and giving my money generously. 

God asks me to light the world so that they may see [my] good works and glorify [my] Father in heaven.  Now I don’t know about your light, but I know that my light is not electric!  My light is feeble, and at times it barely flickers.  I don’t have thousands of dollars to share, but I can share what I do have.  I don’t speak before millions on television, enlightening lives with Christ’s gospel.  Instead, my light is like one solitary candle, providing soft illumination.  When those who experience my small glow inquire about its source, I can fill their hearts with the lights of salvation and abundant life. 

Picture a room with one small candle burning.  Vision is difficult; there is more darkness and shadow than light.  But what if a second candle is lit? What if your little light joins with mine?  What if others, one by one, add their own little glow to our lights?  What if all Christians make a conscious decision to let the light of Christ shine through them so others will glorify Him?  Individually, we do not electrify the world, but together, our cumulative little lights chase away the darkness.  Soon we clearly see across a once dark room.  Soon the shadows flee; soon the light overcomes the darkness.  When, together, we let the light of Jesus shine through us, we create light enough for all to see God’s glory.  This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…won’t you shine with me?

Lord of light, remind me that my little light enables others to glimpse your glory.