REASONS TO BE GRATEFUL

REASONS TO BE GRATEFUL

Believers in Christ refuse to feel downcast or discouraged day after day.  For one moment, carefully consider.  There are more things to be grateful for than you and I might imagine.

--We are alive.

--We are aware of yourself and your surroundings.

--We have a reasonable portion of health and strength.

--We have people who love you despite any flaws or failures.

--We have a mind to live for Christ, to love Him and honor His Word.

--And the list goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on...

So, let’s look up, my friends, and face the challenges and blessings of this day with smiles of faith.

According to the Apostle John, “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5) Therefore, as the epitome and personification of light, our GOD declares something about those of us who are walking in His light.  “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.” (Proverbs 4:18)

Bottom-line: Appearances notwithstanding, we are the Creator’s ‘Covenant Kids.’ To wit, we are designed and deputized as both containers and conveyers of light – even while walking through dismal, dark, miserable, or messy places.  Through it all, we look on the bright side because we have learned to trust in the grace, mercy and abiding love of Jesus Christ.

So, if life sends along some lemons, we will not panic or surrender to doubt and despair.  We will prepare refreshing glasses of lemonade!

I love the story about two identical twins who were alike in nearly every way.  However, one of the twins was an extremely positive person, an optimist who saw only the bright side of life.  The other was rather negative, a pessimist, who zeroed in on the downside of every situation.

Both parents were quite worried about their boys’ attitudinal extremes, so they sought the advice of a doctor.  His suggested plan of action was rather strange, but clever.  “On their next birthday,” he suggested, “give the pessimistic child a shiny new bike, and give the optimistic child a pile of manure.”

It seemed to be an extreme and counterintuitive course of action since the parents had always treated their boys equally.  Reluctantly, they decided to follow the doctor’s advice.  When the twins’ birthday rolled around, they gave their pessimistic son the most expensive, top-of-the-line racing bike they could find.  However, when he received the bike, his first words were, “I’ll probably crash this bike and break my leg.”

To the optimistic child they gave a beautifully wrapped, gigantic box of manure.  He opened it, looked rather puzzled for a moment or so, then ran outside screaming, “You can’t fool me!  Where there’s this much manure, there’s gotta’ be a pony around here somewhere!”

Life looks so much better…life feels so much better…when we make up our minds to look for the best!

GIVE THANKS!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!