Give thanks.
Recently is has struck me again how much I have to be thankful for. Literally everything that I have is better than billions of others have it. I have a Christian home, freedom to live my Christian life out without fearing that today may be the last day that I ever see my family. I have a warm house in the winter, a cool one in the summer, a job, a car, a beautiful sister (and a wonderful brother-in-law)... Really what more could I ask for? And yet, am I really thankful?
Am I not like the other nine lepers so many times? I have all these gifts that God has given me, and yet I am so unthankful in my spirit. I look around me at the literal thousands of people that I see on a daily basis, and they all live broken, empty lives. Divorce, rebellion, bad choices, drugs, alcohol... The list continues as the pain of these people's lives increase. Where, then is my desire and action to go out and serve these people? Tell them of a Savior that died for their sins... Why are we not speaking up daily of the Love of Christ that brought us up and out of the same miry pit? "They won't listen," we say. No, they may not, but aren't you glad that someone spoke a kind word to you? Would not our Lord stop and speak some comfort to their troubled hearts? Are we truly showing Christ in a real way how much His sacrifice means to us, when we are too busy to minister to one of his potential children? Do we somehow think that we are better, and deserve the things that we have been given. Sometimes we sure live like that...
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18 Let us apply that same principle to thanksgiving, and see if we can fulfill the will of our Lord in a better way.
“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke 17:15-19
Am I not like the other nine lepers so many times? I have all these gifts that God has given me, and yet I am so unthankful in my spirit. I look around me at the literal thousands of people that I see on a daily basis, and they all live broken, empty lives. Divorce, rebellion, bad choices, drugs, alcohol... The list continues as the pain of these people's lives increase. Where, then is my desire and action to go out and serve these people? Tell them of a Savior that died for their sins... Why are we not speaking up daily of the Love of Christ that brought us up and out of the same miry pit? "They won't listen," we say. No, they may not, but aren't you glad that someone spoke a kind word to you? Would not our Lord stop and speak some comfort to their troubled hearts? Are we truly showing Christ in a real way how much His sacrifice means to us, when we are too busy to minister to one of his potential children? Do we somehow think that we are better, and deserve the things that we have been given. Sometimes we sure live like that...
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18 Let us apply that same principle to thanksgiving, and see if we can fulfill the will of our Lord in a better way.
posted by Ryan H at
6:32 PM
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