“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
The passage above is a familiar one…especially at this time of year. I have heard and seen it more than a few times in the past month; have you as well? As much as you’ve heard it, have you allowed it to pierce your soul and impact your sense of wellbeing? In other words, is Christ really your Prince of Peace and are you at peace within your soul? I can honestly say that I have been for the past few days. Maybe it’s a bit of maturity, maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been dwelling on this topic or maybe it is simply Christ at work…I suspect that it is mostly the latter. In the past 72 hours I have had a minor fender bender (I tapped our older daughter’s car pulling out of the garage), learned that family circumstances may be changing that will impact our family’s ease in gathering together, endured more severe symptoms of my health issues due to the holiday celebrations and have had a delay in preparing this post, yet my heart is at peace. Though historically unusual for me, it is not entirely unexpected as I’ve been trying to be intentional in applying the things I learn while writing to my own life. While it’s easy to glide over these names of Christ, are they not a summary of the source of our peace?
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And when the Lord Jesus has become your peace, remember, there is another thing: good will towards men. Do not try to keep Christmas without good will towards men.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:7-11
As a father and a grandfather, I love my children and grandchildren. If there is ever a time when I am called to give up my life to save theirs, there would be no hesitation. Yet, as devoted as I am to my family, my love for them is imperfect. The problem is not a lack of affection, but rather that I am a fallible human…I sin, I err, and I fail. Lest I feel totally hopeless, God continues to provide His perfect example for me to learn from.
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We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning.
Albert Barnes
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/30-favorite-thanksgiving-quotes-experience-gratitude.html
The Christian who walks with the Lord and keeps constant communion with Him will see many reason for rejoicing and thanksgiving all day long.
Warren W. Wiersbe
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/30-favorite-thanksgiving-quotes-experience-gratitude.html
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Most people are fairly comfortable being thankful for God’s provisions and for the people in their lives. While we may not feel that our circumstances are quite as perfect as those depicted in Norm Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want”, we can generally muster a fairly strong attitude of thankfulness. Certainly when we feel that things are going relatively well, we are filled with thankfulness, but what about when the times are tough. Thanksgiving of 1992 I woke up in the hospital after having an ERCP the previous day. I was in pain and groggy; I barely remember celebrating the holiday, let alone being thankful.
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The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
Henry Ward Beecher
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/30-favorite-thanksgiving-quotes-experience-gratitude.html
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7
The call to live and to die well especially in the face of adversity, i.e. according to God’s will, has at least three purposes: it strengthens our relationship with our Lord, it provides us a better quality of life and it strengthens the body of Christ. With respect to the latter, sometimes we learn from studying scripture and sometimes we learn from and are encouraged by watching others as they live by faith. For this post, rather than presenting a discussion of the precepts that encourage healthy relationships for which we can be thankful, I’d like to present evidence of God working through the body of Christ.
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Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.
A. W. Tozer
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/30-favorite-thanksgiving-quotes-experience-gratitude.html
Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psalm 34:9-11
Our pastor kindly reminded our congregation this past Sunday that there were 57 days until Christmas. I find that challenging for a few reasons. First, there seems to be so much that “needs” to be done to prepare. Second, my health issues regularly make it a challenge to face a “normal” day, let alone the additional activity that surrounds a holiday…or two very close together. Finally, there is the mental hurdle…many of us facing challenges and trials will find it difficult to enjoy the holiday season let alone be thankful and joyful. Yet as Christians we are called to be both at all times. As those of us in the United States will be celebrating Thanksgiving this month, I will be focusing November posts on various reasons why we should be thankful. This week, I would like to reflect on God’s provision for us.
“I recall hearing something: a boy who lived in a box by the trash heap said ‘You westerners are the ones we can’t understand. God has given you so much, you have been so blessed …why are so many in your country so unhappy?’” This quote is from the book “When God Weeps” by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes. Joni is recalling the statement spoken by boy who lived in a dump in Ghana as they left a joyful time of praise celebrated by those lived there following the distribution of some wheelchairs. Sadly it’s true.
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