Uncounted Blessings

On Sundays I try to listen to preaching on the radio, my MP3 player and perhaps on the internet to make up for missing most of the sermons I attend in person.  I usually get to hear a portion, but Abby can be a bit distracting (and needy) on Sunday mornings.  But that will end eventually, right?

Yesterday we had quite a long drive so we listened to a sermon regarding God's blessings.   As is true with most of what I hear, it's not new information, but rather facts that I've failed to properly apply.

I was reminded that:

• I take God's provision for granted.  I presume He will continue to provide for us so our family won't go hungry or homeless.  I am healthy today so I assume I will be healthy tomorrow.  I have my eyesight and hearing today so I expect to posses these senses tomorrow.    I have freedom to worship God freely today so I expect to enjoy this freedom next year also. 
• At times I find myself assuming I deserve the good things God has given me.  Of course I deserve nothing, but eternal condemnation, but God has bestowed His grace upon me.  I should rejoice in this fact so much more than I do.  I should avoid following the poor example of the nine healed lepers who did not take the time to bow their knee before the Great Physician and thank Him for the miracle He had performed.
• I forget what God has accomplished in the past.  There have been many great miraculous works God has accomplished in our lives.  But the memories of them begin to fade into the distant past after a few short days or months.  Soon I begin to focus on my impending needs and fret over how God will find a way to work all things together for good.  In DeuterGod reminded the Israelites of His provision from Abraham to their upcoming conquest of the Promised Land and adds: 

  "then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." Deut. 6:12  How true this is in a spiritual sense.  We forget we were once in bondage under the reign of the Pharaoh of this world.  We forget the destructive path we were once on and the emptiness that filled our souls.  We neglect to give daily thanks for our spiritual deliverance.  Our personal story of the miracle of grace becomes an uncounted blessing.  How sad. Spurgeon said: "We who are still living will take care that the praises of God shall not fail among the sons of men. Our afflictions and depressions of spirit shall not cause us to suspend our praises; neither shall old age, and increasing infirmities damp the celestial fires, nay, nor shall even death itself cause us to cease from the delightful occupation. The spiritually dead cannot praise God, but the life within us constrains us to do so. The ungodly may abide in silence, but we will lift up our voices to the praise of Jehovah. Even though for a time he may work no miracle, and we may see no peculiar interposition of his power, yet on the strength of what he has done in ages past we will continue to laud his name "until the day break, and the shadows flee away, "when he shall once more shine forth as the sun to gladden the faces of his children."  May none of God's daily blessings go uncounted! I'm linking up with: