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Who Gives It?

Who Gives It?

There’s nothing quite like being nearly completely incapacitated for two weeks to provide the opportunity for some introspection, which in turn delivers some special insights to a person.

For someone who has been able to remain almost completely independent for well over fifty years, to suddenly become almost completely dependent is jarring. I couldn’t go where I wanted to go or do what I wanted to do.  I couldn’t cook a meal or even hit the fridge for leftovers.  (Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing!  But still …)  Initially I couldn’t climb into or out of bed without assistance.  Couldn’t even put my own socks on.  (I couldn’t reach my feet!)  Walking without support (like a walker) was out of the question.  Stairs were an uncrossable barrier.  I was essentially a prisoner in my own bedroom. 

When one finds themselves in such a position, it quickly becomes evident just how very dependent upon the goodness, kindness and care of other people one is.  And I am so grateful for all who assisted me during that time!

But then there’s the bigger picture.  When independence is gone, it becomes crystal clear upon whom we are ultimately dependent, (the Lord!), and how completely dependent upon him we are.

It’s my point of view that most of us will verbally acknowledge that everything we are, have and accomplish are because of God’s blessing.  But we don’t really … I mean, really … appreciate that truth until we experience some deprival.  When we are incapacitated, when extreme hardship infects our lives, when crucial situations hang in the balance, when the realization sinks in that we actually have no control over anything, then our utter dependence upon God is highlighted in dramatic fashion.

And it shouldn’t be this way.  We should fully recognize the principle that we are completely reliant upon the Lord. The Bible emphasizes this fact throughout its pages, from God’s creation in Genesis through Christ’s redemption in the Gospels to our heavenly home in Revelation. 

We need God.  We don’t just kinda need him.  We don’t just need him a little bit, sometimes. We need him for everything all the time.  It is only because of our gracious God that we even exist and have anything good at all, much less the abundant blessings we enjoy every single day.

Who gives every good blessing, both the obvious and the oft overlooked? The Lord asks this very question in dramatic fashion throughout Scripture.  And he provides the clear-cut answer. 

Who gives us life itself, along with our wonderful bodies, our many talents, and our souls (Ps. 139:13-15)?  Who gives us our senses (Ex. 4:11), wisdom (Jms. 1:5), power, strength, wealth (Dt. 8:17-18), endurance and encouragement (Rom. 15:5)?  What about the rains, plants, seasons and harvests (Zech. 10:1, Jer. 5:24)?  Who gives us food to eat? (Ps. 136:25)?  Who gives us provision, protection (Ps. 23), prosperity, safety, future and hope (Jer. 29:11)?

Who gives us the Holy Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16)?  Who gives us his own Son and salvation through Him (John 3:16, Rom. 8:32)?  Who gives us the Holy Spirit (1 Th. 4:8), spiritual life (Rom. 4:17), faith (Eph. 2:8-9), and forgiveness (Eph. 1:7)?   Who gives “the peace of God which transcends all understanding” (Php. 4:7)?

Who gives it?  Who gives us all these things in bountiful mercy, grace and love?  Who is it that blesses us even in great difficulties?  Who infuses every single aspect of our lives with loving gifts?  Who pours extreme abundance into our already abundant lives, even though we scarcely give those treasures, or the God who provides them, a second thought? 

The One who gives it all is our God!  “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights …” (James 1:17).

Who gives it all?  The answer is obvious, though obviously often overlooked.  But may we bear it in mind, take it to heart and hold it fast; our God gives us everything we have.  And everything we have is quite a lot!  “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.  Amen” (Philippians 4:19-20).

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The Little Things

The Little Things

We are well aware of the big things.  They are frequently on our mind and seared into our consciousness.

We are very cognizant of our significant bills (mortgage, auto payments, etc.).  We know our financial picture … the money coming in and the money going out, and how those two factors relate to the other.  Health issues have a way of upending our day-to-day lives.  Strained familial, educational, occupational, congregational and social relationships impact us.  Technology goes haywire and vehicles or other mechanized conveniences break down and have to be repaired or replaced.  Big things, all.

But the big things that demand our attention aren’t always negative.  There is an abundance of positive things as well.  A visit with dear family members or friends.  A long-awaited vacation.  An unexpected windfall.  Accomplishing an unpleasant task that has hung over our heads indefinitely.  A new job begun or a financial debt resolved.  A new addition to the family.  These are also big things, but good things!

Typically we spend a lot of time focusing on the big things in our lives.  Those are the things we think about and pray about; the issues we devote our energy and personal resources toward.  Those are the matters that we seek or want resolved, and the ones that we are convinced will provide us with the greatest joy when resolved favorably.

And this point of view is normal and good.  It is also probably true.  However, the older I get the more I am learning to focus less on the big things, and reflect more upon the little ones.  I am convinced we would all be happier if we took more time to appreciate the small blessings. (Which really aren’t smaller blessings at all, even though we tend to look at them that way.)

James reminds us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights … (James 1:17).  In other words, both the “big” blessings and the “little” blessings are wonderful blessings from our gracious God!  We would be wise to recognize this.

The list of “little blessings” is a long one!  Here are just a few that come to mind:

Another sunrise.  Blue skies punctuated with fluffy white clouds.  A lovely sunset.  Rain that waters the land and lulls us to sleep at night.  Flowers, shrubs and trees that burst into bloom.

A butterfly fluttering across the yard; a hummingbird hovering over blossoms; sparrows greeting the morning with song; an eagle gliding on wind currents; deer sighted in the distance.

A hug from a loved one.  A smile.  A kind word.  Time spent together with family and friends.

The smell of a baby; the sound of a toddler’s laughter; the sight of children playing; the feel of a young son or daughter’s (or grandson or grand-daughter’s) hand in yours; the taste of ice cream shared with youngsters.

A dog who is always happy to see us, no matter our mood.  A cat who purrs contentedly in our lap. 

A relaxing sit on the deck with an intriguing book.  Or even better, a nap in a hammock.  Naps in the recliner qualify too!

A simple task accomplished; a good meal enjoyed; a fun game played; a favorite show or ball team watched; a hobby pursued; a walk with someone dear.

A friendly card in the mail; an encouraging email; an unexpected but uplifting phone call; a warm greeting.

A memory remembered; a favorite song heard or sung; laughter and light-heartedness; the scent of your wife’s perfume.

The gift of sleep, and the gift of waking up again.  The lack of pain.  The use of our five senses.

Most would probably agree that these are “little things,” or at least things that we tend to take for granted.  But hopefully you also agree that they are big blessings as well … even if we don’t usually recognize them as such.

The Lord floods our lives with “little” blessings, and he gives us this encouragement: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

In other words, recognize and treasure even the little things.  Maybe especially the little things!

I pieced together a partial list of little blessings.  What are some of the little things that bring you joy?  Please share!

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Turkeys’ Revenge?

Turkeys’ Revenge?

Many, many years ago I had the “Deer Hunter” video game loaded onto my computer.  The object of the game was, of course, to bag a big buck from the comfort and convenience of one’s desk chair.  It was a game that even my children enjoyed playing.

A friend gifted me with the “Dear Hunter” parody game called “Deer Avenger.”  In that game, everything was turned catawampus.  In “Deer Avenger,” a vengeful deer hunted the hunters, and hung his quarries’ heads on the wall if successful!

In the same vein, do turkeys impart a bit of revenge following our Thanksgiving dinners?  Is tryptophan, that ingredient in turkey that makes us lazy and lethargic following our indulgence in turkey meat, the turkey’s revenge? 

Tryptophan has typically been regarded as a somewhat sinister, sleep-inducing chemical that takes its toll in the wake of a Thanksgiving meal. And indeed it does benefit our sleep!  Tryptophan enables our bodies to produce melatonin and serotonin.  Melatonin helps regulate a person’s sleep cycle; serotonin stabilizes one’s mood and assists with falling asleep.  Which definitely seems to support the idea of a turkey’s revenge!  We eat turkey; we inevitably slip into oblivion afterwards.

Which leads to an important question.  Like a nap after turkey, does spiritual lethargy tend to follow our Thanksgiving thankfulness?  We’ve done our duty on the day of giving thanks, and now we inevitably slide (back) into apathy afterwards?  

Becoming drowsy after our turkey dinner is acceptable; sleeping on our thankfulness to God is not!

As for tryptophan inducing nearly immediate naps, that’s actually a myth.  It does tend to produce drowsiness, but not until many hours (5!) later!  Rather, the drooping eyelids occur as a result of the multiple platefuls of carbs consumed.  It is the amount of food eaten that is actually the culprit.  Digestion is exhausting work!

In reality, Tryptophan happens to be extremely beneficial for our bodies.  Tryptophan is an essential amino acid.  Amino acids are fundamental building blocks of protein and are key ingredients in helping our bodies function properly.  The melatonin and serotonin that tryptophan enables our bodies to produce are great blessings!  In addition, tryptophan is used by our bodies to make niacin (vitamin B3), which helps regulate our metabolism and keeps our cells healthy.

Other sources of tryptophan are chicken, eggs, fish, milk, cheese, peanuts, pumpkin and sesame seeds, tofu and soy, and chocolate.  (Which means chocolate contains both tryptophan AND caffeine.  What a combination!)

So enjoy your turkey dinners, and embrace tryptophan.  It’s good for you!  And just as tryptophan is good for the body, so is continual, Gospel-induced thankfulness to our loving Lord good for the soul.  It changes our perspectives, positively affects our attitudes, sparks our motivation, and produces ongoing joy … both in us and in the people around us.

The psalmist has it right:  “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the LORD is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100).

Consequently, we are constantly thankful … not just because turkeys don’t take revenge, but because our merciful Lord is ever-gracious!

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Fail or Full?

Fail or Full?

It was horrible disease.  Those who bore it were banished from home, family and society.  They couldn’t work; they couldn’t shop; they couldn’t worship; they couldn’t interact with anyone.  (No, I’m not referring to those diagnosed with COVID, but to those with leprosy in Bible times.  There are certainly some similarities between the two, but leprosy was usually much worse.) 

Leprosy was the most feared disease, bar none, and was regarded as “the kiss of death.”  If one had leprosy, the odds of recovering were slim.  Leprosy typically meant a long and lingering death sentence, making lepers true-life versions of the living dead.

The only people lepers were allowed to associate with were other lepers, so they gathered themselves together in little banished colonies outside cities, well away from their homes and the comfort of loved ones.  Horrific doesn’t begin to describe the life of one with leprosy.

One day ten lepers (their personal leper group) stood at a distance from Jesus and called out to him, begging for mercy and healing.  The Lord instructed them to “Go, show yourselves to the priests,” which is what healed lepers were to do to be reinstated back into society.  On their way, their leprosy disappeared!

Nine ran joyfully on to the priests, leaping, laughing and shouting, eager to get back to their families and their lives.  Imagine their exuberance!  It was over; they were healed!  One of the ten however, when he realized he was suddenly leprosy-free, ran in a different direction.  In his exultation, he sprinted back to Jesus and fell at his feet, praising and thanking him.  (Luke 17:11-19)

Nine of the healed lepers demonstrated a thank-fail.  Only one showed a thank-full.

Have you ever considered how you might have reacted if you were one of the ten?  It’s easy for us at a cool, calm distance to subjectively convince ourselves we would have shown thank-full-ness like the one.  But it’s not unlikely, in our excitement and selfishness of the moment, after being diseased perhaps for years and slated for certain death, that we would have been guilty of thank-fail-ness, just like the nine.

Of course, Thanksgiving approaches. I will go on the record to state that I am opposed to Thanksgiving Day.  I am NOT opposed to thanksgiving, but I AM opposed to the concept of only giving thanks to the Lord on one day.  (Sadly, more and more people fail to even acknowledge God or give him proper thanks on the holiday!)  But when a person honestly reflects upon their blessings from the Lord, it becomes clear that setting aside a single day for being thank-full, and implying that there are 364 other days to be thank-fail, is inexcusable.

Forget the ten lepers for a moment.  What is our own attitude today? 

Yes, I know we are all struggling at the moment.  No one is unaffected by the virus.  Everyone is impacted.  Everyone’s life is more complicated at the moment.  Difficulty, frustration and discouragement abounds.   We are so ready to be done with it all.

And in the midst of it all we are tempted to slip into thank-fail.

But the Lord is still Lord.  He is still our Rock, our Fortress, our Shield and Defender.  He is still our almighty, all-seeing Leader and our ever-present Friend.  He is still our loving, providing and protecting Shepherd.  He is still our Healer and Blesser.  He is still the Promise-keeper, faithfully fulfilling all his promises to us and always working everything for our good. 

Most importantly of all, he is still our Redeemer and our Living Savior.  The cross is behind him and his tomb is empty.  He makes us victors along with him – all-encompassing forgiveness is won; death and the devil are defeated!  Jesus, the King of kings, now lives and reigns in heaven, watching attentively over us in our lives, accompanying us every step of the way, and waiting to welcome us home to heaven one day. 

So no matter our difficulties, we are blessed beyond degree.  Beyond comprehension!  Beyond our wildest hopes and dreams!  Which means we simply cannot react with a thank-fail.  Rather, our hearts of faith respond to our loving God with a thank-full!

“Praise the LORD.  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise? … Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Let all the people say, “Amen!”  Praise the LORD!”  (Psalm 106:1-2, 48).

May your every day be a thank-full day!

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To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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