i was watching a documentary recently on a young adult mission team that had just gotten back from antigua...the most important impression was the gratitude of the people of the island...even though they lived in the worst of poverty conditions...the people spent much time being thankful for what they had...most of the homes...bare huts with no electricity or plumbing...had been partially destroyed by a hurricane more than a year earlier...as the months passed there was no money or materials or labor to have the homes repaired...the gaping holes just turned into bigger gaping holes...yet the people were happy and grateful for what they did have...they continued to thank God for the rain...even though it soaked their homes through the destroyed roofs...they thanked God for their one meager meal of the day...and they thanked God for the americans who came to help rebuild their homes...
in contrast...i look at my own living conditions...my roof is solid with no leaks...no big holes for rain to pour through...my bathrooms are clean...with scrubbed tile and hot-and-cold running water at my fingertips...
the table is always full...abundant with delectable dishes...the refrigerator is fully stocked...with more food than i can eat in a week..
do these luxuries escape me? do i constantly realize how very blessed we are? when deep-felt gratitude is missing...we miss out on more than we realize...
remember the bible story describing how Jesus restored ten lepers to health? nine healed men went their way and never looked back....only one man did not take his newfound health for granted...he returned to Jesus to express his gratitude...and remember Jesus' question..."but...where are the nine?"
can you imagine being miraculously healed from a social and medical disaster and then walking off without a backward glance?
i wonder how many times i may have overlooked a gift...a miracle...or a joyful surprise and forgotten to be thankful...maybe i just added the blessing to all my others and went merrily on my way...and in the process i missed the near presence of God...
let your day be full of holy and sincere gratitude...constant in the awareness of the goodness of God...
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