Nothing to be thankful for (Part Two)

NOTHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR (Part Two)

I know that this is a difficult time of the year for some people. It seems that the subject of every conversation includes something about the Thanksgiving holiday. It's difficult for some people, because they really don't feel that they have anything for which to be thankful. For most it is a time of gathering and celebration with family, yet for some they have no family or perhaps they are separated by great distances from their family. It may be that you have just lost a loved one, a spouse or a parent and this holiday is not something to which they are looking forward to celebrating. In fact it may be difficult for them to try to find anything for which to be thankful.

“Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.'" (Daily Bread, 1989.)

Don't you wish that you could have that kind of spirit, that kind of faith? Wouldn't it be great if you had the kind of relationship to God that would allow you to look for the positive, to see the hope for the future and His power in the present? You see that's what it takes to be able to truly celebrate and give thanks not just at this holiday season, but also throughout all of the year.

Let me suggest that rather than dwelling upon all of the bad things in your life that you start offering the prayer of Alexander Whyte and say, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this!"

Notice a couple of scriptures that give us an idea of how we can find the strength to be thankful. First in Romans 6:3-5 Paul writes, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."

Notice especially that Paul said we have been "planted together" with Christ (some translations say 'united". Now notice another scripture (and I love this translation), Colossians 2:7, the apostle Paul says, "Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done." (NLT)

So how about it, is it time for a change in your life and relationship to Christ? How about taking a look at your life, today and always, letting it " overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done." But, there is a catch to doing that, first you have to be planted with Christ before you can let your roots grow down and draw up nourishment form him.

Russ Lawson

The Parts We Miss

THE PARTS WE MISS

I recently wrote an article dealing with the fact that our Christian life is a life of continual learning. We literally never stop finding new stuff in the scripture. I really don't know how many times I have read through the whole bible, but have been doing it every year for the past 15 to 20 years. What may surprise you is that I am always seeing new stuff. It happened again just this past week.

You probably are familiar with the story of Jesus stilling the storm on the Sea of Galilee. You remember, Jesus had been teaching the people and got into a boat to go to the other side of the lake. He promptly lay down and fell asleep. While Jesus was sleeping, "Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat." (NIV Matthew 8:24) The disciples were so afraid that they woke Jesus and with a word he stilled the storm.

OK, so you know the story, but here is a question. Was there anyone else with them? Were there other folks in other boats accompanying them? Come on, don't shy away from the question or assume that just because I asked there must be a secret to the story. The bible really gives us a little more information, but it's one of those little parts we sometime miss.

You may be a better scholar than I and know the answer, but for me it was the first time it registered that maybe there was something I missed in the telling of this story.

Do we ever learn it all? Of course not! Well how much is enough? I don't know, but I do know that God expects us to be searching the scripture daily and showing ourselves approved workmen for Him. Paul writes: "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." KJV 2 Timothy 2:15) or "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (NKJV)

Oh, just in case you are wondering, the answer to the question is found in the parallel record of the story in Mark 4:36.

May God bless you in your ongoing search of His word!

Russ Lawson, Messages From The Heart

Nothing to be thankful for

I'VE GOT NOTHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR

When thinking about our upcoming Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S., the old Bing Crosby song popped into my mind. I believe it was from the movie "Holiday Inn," which is a great old movie and I recommend highly! Anyway, Bing is sitting at a table full of all of the holiday trimmings and is really down and depressed because his girlfriend has left him for another man (and career). He sits there feeling sorry for himself and singing the song, "I've go nothing to be thankful for." Of course he is reminded that he does have other options and… well you'll have to watch the movie to see how it ends.

Sadly, this is not an unusual problem in our world; it may be even more prevalent in our present financial climate and job market. We have so many people in our world who have lost their jobs, lost their homes and who are struggling to just put food on the table or pay for fuel for heat. Then our advertising world floods or airways, newspapers and magazines with words and pictures which portray what should be the perfect holiday. Everyone should be well fed, in comfortable homes, surrounded by friends and family, be smiling, with no problems in their lives, a Norman Rockwell painting come to life.

We tend to look at that image and say, that's not my life. I'm barely scrapping by; I've got nothing to be thankful for!

It is my belief that it's not so much a matter of what you have, but how you count the blessings you do have. You may be having a tough time, but in almost every situation, if you will stop and look around you, you will find someone else who has more difficulties. I think that at some point, everyone should go and set in the emergency waiting room at a hospital in a major city. I've had occasions to do this on more than one occasion and it opens your eyes to what real tragedy and loss is.

I could give you a list of things for which you could be thankful, but I don't think I really need to do that. You are wise enough to understand those things yourself. The problem is that we don't stop and count our blessings nearly as often as we should. I would suggest that you stop and do that right now. I do want to share with you that for which I am most thankful. I am thankful for you! You are a blessing for my life as one of God's children and because of that I have everything to be thankful for! Relationships are the most important thing in the world. If I loose all that I have in the physical world I hope to hold you in my heart and be held by you.

Let me end this with the words of the Apostle Paul from Philippians 1:2-6, where he writes, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (NIV)

The key phrase is, "I thank my God every time I remember you." Do you really have nothing to be thankful for?

Russ Lawson