30 Cents

Yesterday after visiting my patients I stopped in a local shop with Abby.  I knew she wanted more time to "explore" before heading home so I thought this would be a fun opportunity.  The problem was I found a small item that was priced right and I thought I needed it.  But the shop only took cash and I don't tend to carry much cash on me.  I realized this as I opened up my pocketbook.  I began counting my change and it became quite obvious I was short.  I really thought I could scrounge up enough, but even after digging through the bottom of my purse I still needed 30 cents.  I was slightly embarrassed that I didn't have enough and assured the lady that I could run and get some money and be right back, but she insisted that she cover my 30 cents.  I thanked her and she asked that I do the same for someone else.  Later I thought about that and how I need to be more mindful of how I can give to cover others needs.  I also reflected on  how pride welled up inside and made me want to turn down her gracious offer to cover my need.  Hmm.  Don't we have the same difficulty when it comes to recognizing our need before a Gracious Savior? 

For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:19-21

A Hymn of Thanksgiving

As I continue to reflect on having a more thankful heart, I came across this work by Anne Steele. The last three verses were adapted into a hymn, "Father, Whate'er of Earthly Bliss," but I think all the verses deserve to be reread during this week of Thanksgiving.

Desiring Resignation and Thankfulness

When I survey life’s varied scene,
Amid the darkest hours,
Sweet rays of comfort shine between,
And thorns are mixed with flowers.

Lord, teach me to adore Thy hand,
From whence my comforts flow,
And let me in this desert land
A glimpse of Canaan know.
  

Is health and easy my happy share?
Oh may I bless my God;
Thy kindness let my songs declare;
And spread Thy praise abroad.
  

While such delightful gifts as these
Are kindly dealt to me,
Be all my hours of health and ease
Devoted, Lord, to Thee.
  

In griefs and pains Thy sacred Word
(Dear solace of my soul!)
Celestial comforts can afford,
And all their power control.
  

When present sufferings pain my heart,
Or future terrors rise,
And light and hope almost depart
From these dejected eyes.

Thy powerful Word supports my hope
Sweet cordial of the mind!
And bears my fainting spirit up,
And bids me wait resign’d.
  

And oh whate’er of earthly bliss
Thy sovereign hand denies,
Accepted at Thy throne of grace,
Let this petition rise:

“Give me a calm, a thankful heart,
From every murmur free;
The blessings of Thy grace impart,
And let me live to Thee.
  

“Let the sweet hope that Thou art mine,
My path of life attend;
Thy presence through my journey shine,
And bless its happy end.”

Source: Hymn-writers and their hymns 

For information on the heartaches and suffering Anne endured visit this Hymn Studies blog.  

Is it all really joy?

If you're like me there are times when caught up in God-ordained trial (yes, that would be every trial) that it was difficult to count it as a joy. 

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. James 1:2

But the testing is meant to purify.  And if our Savior learned obedience through suffering, how much more do we I need to endure a fair bit of suffering? (Ouch)

"Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered." Hebrews 5:8

For if he had only known obedience, though never so perfectly, in the notion of it, what relief could have accrued unto us thereby? how could it have been a spring of pity or compassion towards us? But now, whereas he himself took in his own person a full experience of the nature of that especial obedience which is yielded to God in a suffering condition, what difficulty it is attended withal, what opposition is made unto it, how great an exercise of grace is required in it, he is constantly ready to give us relief, as the matter doth require. -John Owen

So if you are in the middle of a trial right now take heart and remember:

• Christ suffered more than you will ever suffer
• God is Sovereign over all things and He oversees and ordains all that occurs in our lives
• A heart that can praise God in the "storm" pleases God
• The punishment we truly deserve is much greater than we can even imagine

James 1:3-4 continues on to say:

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

"We so often want to view our hardships as nothing but an obstacle toward growth and maturation.  However, the trials we experience are from the hand of God and are working to produce steadfastness leading to maturity." (Count it All Joy by Scott Devor in Tabletalk Magazine, October 2011)

A Thankful Heart

As Sunday draws to an end my heart is thankful for several blessings:

• For a house that is beginning to resemble a home
• For a front porch with a weathered porch swing
• For church bells that toll every hour 
• For a large yard with space to plant a garden
• For the generosity of others
• For cobblestone streets
• For my Savior

". . . Be thankful unto Him and bless His name."  Psalm 100:4

Gratitude and thanksgiving forever stand opposed to all murmurings at God’s dealings with us, and all complainings at our lot. Gratitude and murmuring never abide in the same heart at the same time. An unappreciative spirit has no standing beside gratitude and praise. And true prayer corrects complaining and promotes gratitude and thanksgiving. Dissatisfaction at one’s lot, and a disposition to be discontented with things which come to us in the providence of God, are foes to gratitude and enemies to thanksgiving.

The murmurers are ungrateful people. Appreciative men and women have neither the time nor disposition to stop and complain. The bane of the wilderness-journey of the Israelites on their way to Canaan was their proneness to murmur and complain against God and Moses. For this, God was several times greatly grieved, and it took the strong praying of Moses to avert God’s wrath because of these murmurings. The absence of gratitude left no room nor disposition for praise and thanksgiving, just as it is so always. But when these same Israelites were brought through the Red Sea dry shod, while their enemies were destroyed, there was a song of praise led by Miriam, the sister of Moses. One of the leading sins of these Israelites was forgetfulness of God and His mercies, and ingratitude of soul. This brought forth murmurings and lack of praise, as it always does. E.M. Bounds (Essentials of Prayer)