Gratitude Grows with Gratitude

Gratitude grows with gratitude.

It is good to remember a gift. It is better to remember and express thanksgiving. The gates of grace open wide.

How the nations do rage. There was never just one moment of refusing to say thank you. Longstanding patterns of habit. Cultural disinclination toward gratitude expressed to God. Habits of thanking the wrong god. Habits of thanking, congratulating self. Habits of uttering acknowledgement of a god as the source, without any personal knowledge of the truth, making the utterance a rut. So habits grow with habitual steps, digging the rut ever deeper.

After a while, even thinking about gratitude, therefore thinking about gifts to be grateful for,brings the life of God. Or brings me to the spout where the Glory comes out. Walking in pursuit of living water and gratitude for it brings life. Seeing where life is touching darkness brings vision for restoration.

My God, you are good!

Gifts and Talents

There are things you are good at, things you are really good at, and then there are things that very clearly you are better at than you can be. When you are doing those things, you come alive with more than the enjoyment of doing something well. You come alive with the power of God coursing through you and doing well for his glory.

And all of this can happen without you having any regard for God.

The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, and also are not dependent upon having received the good news of the Messiah.

There is a fair chance that the talent you have been given by your heavenly father will not be used for his glory if you have no regard for him. But the talent is still from him, inspires awe and reflects glory upon him.

Father, nothing you do is wasted. Perhaps what we do with what you do comes to ruin. But you will receive all of the glory. That has no variance. Now, what happens when we find the talent you have given, and we turn it all for the purpose you intended? Does it reflect your glory more? I hope so, but I am not sure. Or can we ever know the fullness of what you intended?

Maybe it is time to rest in the knowledge that, with the good heart you have put in me, that I will purpose and fail, and purpose and succeed, and purpose again, to do my best to love you with what I have and am. You have given me a good heart, and I will love you with it. It is you to have mercy on me. It is you to pass over my foolishness when you see me covered with the blood of Jesus.

O God, thank you for the Blood.

Too Noisy

Yes, Sir. Acknowledged.

Shhhh. Rest. Be restored in stillness and quiet. Shhhh.

Everything needed is within reach or by simple request.

You belong at this table, where there is no hurry. Eat. Drink. Receive.

You did not earn it, so you can not strive for it. It is simply yours.

You are not able to qualify, but you have been qualified. Accept this best of gifts.

Nothing to do.

Thank you.