"Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" Ephesians 5:20
I had someone tell me once, "If you are lucky enough to live in the Shenandoah Valley, you are lucky enough." I am grateful to live in the Shenandoah Valley ... which got me thinking about this 10 letter word ... gratitude.
- The only difference between a traffic delay and a chance to relax a bit is gratitude.
- The only difference between a thunderstorm and not needing to wash your car is gratitude.
- The only difference between an interruption and an opportunity is gratitude.
- The only difference between a joyous life and a gloomy one is gratitude.
Because at the end of the day, everyone has problems. I have problems, you have problems, we all have problems. Gratitude doesn't deny their presence; it just denies them power and precedence. I mean really, it's all about perspective. The truth is no stage of life is going to be "perfect" in the way you've envisioned it. There is always something just ahead that keeps us from appreciating what we have, if we let it. This may depress you, but it should inspire you, because it frees you up to enjoy what you have without worrying so much about making it perfect, because it ain't gonna be.
Scripture tells us "For everything there is a season." If you spend springtime wishing it would be summer and then in the summer you whine about the heat and then in the fall you mope when it rains, you'll always be unhappy. But if you enjoy the flowers in May and the sun in August and the pungent smell of wet earth in November, and if you can learn to splash in the puddles and make iced tea when the temperature is over 100, then you will enjoy every season, and you will know the secret victory of gratitude.
So whether you're in high school yearning for the big world or in college yearning to never read a book again or single and wishing you weren't or dating and annoyed he hasn't asked or married and wanting babies or a parent and dying for those babies to be grown ... just slow it down! Every step of the way, thank God. Savor it all. Drink it up.
And when life is hectic and crazy and imperfect and your finances are tight and your pants are tight and your schedule is tight ... congratulations, you are a human being. Life isn't and uninterrupted plan; life is a long series of interruptions. You either embrace them, or you don't.
So then the goal isn't to win but to see why you're already winning. It's a chessy bumper sticker, but is true ... and the happy people aren't the ones who "have the life they love but who love the life they have."
~ Pastor Todd
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
Pastor's Penpoint - "Freedom From Terrorism (Sin)" - July 2013
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8: 31-32
Like millions of Americans, the coming of July points my mind to the Fourth of July holiday and what it represents: our freedom as a nation. This freedom is a precious thing and worthy of our introspection and focus on what independence means.
Gratitude without measure wells up in my heart when I consider the brave men and women of the military who, this Fourth of July, will be and are fighting to combat terrorism. These warriors stand in the line of valiant soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, 2 World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the first Gulf War and on and on. Each of these conflicts - while unique in themselves - shared the common goal of protecting American freedom. Today's battles are no different.
But even as I prize my freedom as an American, I am moved to consider a greater freedom - my freedom in Christ. It is the freedom that comes with being a disciple of Jesus Christ. "If you abide in my word," our Lord declares, "you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).
This statement was shocking to Jesus' audience. These proud men thought they already had all the freedom they needed by virtue of being "offspring of Abraham" (8:33). Jesus proceeds to point them beyond any national, social or religious freedom they might enjoy to the freedom that comes through His person and work: "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin ... So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (8:34,26). Contrary to what Jesus' listeners thought, they were in bondage to sin and subject to the terrorism it brought.
Even as Christians we can fall to the temptation to trust in other things for our freedom from the tyranny of sin: status, money, food works, associations, etc. But the true disciple finds freedom in Christ and Christ alone. The Fourth of July is a wonderful time to consider our freedom - as Americans and as Christians. Our national freedom is precious, but our freedom in Christ is of infinite worth.
The great hymn writer Charles Wesley was undoubtedly moved by his freedom in Christ when in 1738 he penned this stanza:
John 8: 31-32
Like millions of Americans, the coming of July points my mind to the Fourth of July holiday and what it represents: our freedom as a nation. This freedom is a precious thing and worthy of our introspection and focus on what independence means.
Gratitude without measure wells up in my heart when I consider the brave men and women of the military who, this Fourth of July, will be and are fighting to combat terrorism. These warriors stand in the line of valiant soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, 2 World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the first Gulf War and on and on. Each of these conflicts - while unique in themselves - shared the common goal of protecting American freedom. Today's battles are no different.
But even as I prize my freedom as an American, I am moved to consider a greater freedom - my freedom in Christ. It is the freedom that comes with being a disciple of Jesus Christ. "If you abide in my word," our Lord declares, "you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).
This statement was shocking to Jesus' audience. These proud men thought they already had all the freedom they needed by virtue of being "offspring of Abraham" (8:33). Jesus proceeds to point them beyond any national, social or religious freedom they might enjoy to the freedom that comes through His person and work: "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin ... So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (8:34,26). Contrary to what Jesus' listeners thought, they were in bondage to sin and subject to the terrorism it brought.
Even as Christians we can fall to the temptation to trust in other things for our freedom from the tyranny of sin: status, money, food works, associations, etc. But the true disciple finds freedom in Christ and Christ alone. The Fourth of July is a wonderful time to consider our freedom - as Americans and as Christians. Our national freedom is precious, but our freedom in Christ is of infinite worth.
The great hymn writer Charles Wesley was undoubtedly moved by his freedom in Christ when in 1738 he penned this stanza:
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray -
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
The saving truth that Jesus speaks of in John 8:32 bring ultimate freedom - freedom from sin and death and the devil; freedom from a life of futility and an eternity of wrath. It is freedom from the tyranny of hate and bitterness and cruelty. It is the freedom to love God and neighbor.
May this "Declaration of Independence" be on my lips and in my heart this Fourth of July holiday.
~ Pastor Todd
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