What an amazing day at Kfirst yesterday. Coming off a message on gratitude, I’m very thankful for an atmosphere of the Lord’s presence and a church community I get to share it with. I’m excited to “circle” this church in gratitude daily.
One more thought about gratitude:
Do we stop being thankful because we’ve taken the Lord for granted? Do we wake up and go about our day without the thought that, well, we woke up and that’s something to be thankful for. We get to enjoy “new mercies” every morning according to Lamentations.
In Midland, we used to do direct deposit of all of our paychecks. It saves a trip to the bank. It saves the “hassle” of standing in line, filling out deposit slips, and waiting our turn to do business. (side note: it’s amazing what we consider a hassle in our western culture…but I’ll save that for another blog)
Here in Kalamazoo, we deposit the old-fashioned way. I walk in, check in hand, and write it all out on the slip. I’ll admit I hassle the person at the counter when there are no blue suckers in their candy dish. It’s no big deal to me. But it’s got me thinking…
I wonder if we lose out on something when we don’t hold the check in our hand. I wonder if we take for granted what we earn and the freedom and privilege to earn it. Do we, as we said yesterday, have a sense of entitlement. We approach our paychecks as “this is what I earned so I deserve it” mentality. If so, it’s no wonder why we’ve lost out on our gratitude.
We wake up and enjoy endless mercies. We read the Word of God and get fed to capacity. We lean upon the Lord who has endless strength. Maybe we need to ask the Lord to open our eyes to see what He has already blessed us with instead of asking for more blessings today. We, in a sense, get the direct deposit of new mercies. But maybe we need to recapture the wonder of what has been poured into us daily.
I’m grateful I live under the covenant of mercy and grace. One more time, I’m broken by the realization of His sacrifice for me. I’m speechless when I try to comprehend what I would be without Him.
Psalms 34 (ESV)
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
One of my favorite bands to listen to while spending some time in gratitude before the Lord.
Thanks for letting me ramble…
pdave.me 
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