Meditations on Gratitude (from this morning's sermon)

We are the recipients of God's gifts.

God

1. made us
2. redeems us
3. sustains us
4. loves us

How do we choose to respond to His gifts?

Psalm 136

<>1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

4to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

10to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
16to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

17to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
18and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
19Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
20and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
21and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
22a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

23It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
24and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
25he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

26Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever."

Meditations on Genesis 3

As I was preparing the lesson for Violet's Sunday School class, I was struck by God's actions after Adam and Eve had sinned. I had always seen God's promise to send Jesus in verse 15 where in speaking to the serpent it says "he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." What I saw this time was God's actions speaking just as loudly as his words. First God came. Then he called. Finally he clothed. Isn't that just like our Savior?

First Jesus came to earth trading the riches and beauty of heaven for a manger of hay.

Then he called to his people "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Finally he lived a perfect life and died on the cross for our sins so that we can be clothed in His righteousness by His grace and mercy.
"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10

Meditations on Genesis 1

Somehow I thought that by now, I had learned all that this first chapter of the Bible has to offer. After all, I've taught it in Sunday school and to my children at least a half dozen times, studied it a few years back in our Bible study at church, and begun reading at this point more times than I can count determined to read through the Bible in the year only to become bogged down somewhere between Leviticus and Deuteronomy. I knew God was the good, powerful, intelligent Creator speaking into existence all that He desired and that all things were made for his glory. What makes this time different? I guess the difference is inside of me.

This past year was extremely stressful and difficult. Part of it was my own fault for overloading my schedule with outside commitments. Part of it was beyond my control. I certainly didn't plan to miscarry at 12 weeks right before Christmas or again at 6 weeks in April. I was unprepared for the grief and sorrow, unprepared for the unanswered prayers and questions. The times for me were very hard and felt very dark indeed.

As I read through Genesis 1 for my first grade Sunday School lessons, my thoughts stopped on that first day. "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Gen. 1:2 God started with complete and utter darkness. That was how I had felt: the formlessness as if my life had been plunged into chaos and confusion, the darkness of pain and grief, and the emptiness that comes with loss. Into that first darkness, God brought light, order, and a multitude of good things. Likewise into my life God has been moving in, restoring order and peace, joy and hope, and faith in His goodness and sovereignty.

I've always loved to see the sunbeams shining through a cloud because it reminded me how God reaches out to us in His love and mercy. Today it also reminds me that God can break through the darkest, hardest, or even scariest of times to light our way back home to Him. I pray we always remember to look for His light and to trust in His love as we each walk on our journey home.



"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6