NOVEMBER 12, 2023 Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25; 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13
Attitude of Gratitude
We all know that we are to give praises to God. Praise God without ceasing. What does that really mean? Praising God is our way of showing God gratitude. However, as we advance in our years, what does our conversation concentrate, we focus on our current and new aliments. Did you hear who died yesterday? Our natural response to life is frustration and complaints. Too often we only see the negative.
World culture would have us look for the perfect job, the perfect family, the perfect home, the perfect life, and our perfect health. We lose setting our sights on God and how He has blessed us, what all He has given us, where He has protected us. Think for a minute, how has God blessed you just this week, this weekend?
Next week is Thanksgiving, we have our relatives sitting around the table ready to eat a fantastic feast. We do offer up the standard thanksgivings in our meal prayer, but have you truly given thought and heart into that prayer. Then again, are we just going through the motions of prayer? Take this for example; a relative calls at the last minute advising their flight is due in at 6:00 AM, would you be so kind as to pick us up at the airport? That means you gotta get up at 4:00 and be on the way to the airport! But are you truly thankful for having those relatives come and visit? Do you have a good relationship with them that you can put up with them for the holiday? But remember you do have a car that you can drive, you’re able to go and get them without restrictions. You have the cash to buy the fuel and they may even reimburse you for fuel. So be thankful with an attitude of gratitude.
We’ve all seen parents at the grocery store with children. You might even be able to identify with this. Thinking that they’re all done with the shopping but one of the children is saying, “mommy, mommy I just remember I have this project in school that’s due tomorrow. I need to get a poster board for the project and I’m going to need vinegar and baking soda, oh and I also need #4 red dye”. But also, a younger child is trying to interrupt because they want candy. Then children will be children, want this and that and why does so and so always get their choice? However, the blessing is having children that are healthy, a school that is willing to educate the children and a teacher who cares enough to create projects rather than just simply talking at the kids. And then there is, yes you have the money, as expensive as it is, to purchase those things.
What about when you’re running late for work and suddenly traffic comes to a screeching halt! Now you’re sitting on the Interstate with a multitude of cars surrounding you and nowhere to get off or even turn around. Nor do you have an idea of how long this is gonna take, but in your frustration, you’re blowing the horn and trying to get people to move. Then suddenly you hear sirens coming from behind, ambulances, police cars and fire trucks are trying to squeeze by on the emergency lanes, traveling slower than what would be expected for them. In your mind you’re wondering how long we are going to end up sitting here and will work be frustrated because you’re delayed, there’s deadlines on things that need to be finished today. But the blessings are; you have a job, you’ve got a vehicle that is running and not damaged, there are first responders ready to assist the people in the accident, God has called these first responders to help, that have! Did you pray for the injured people or complain because you’ll be docked pay?
Let me give you a real one. I asked and got permission to use this, Jake Miller, and Tanya Combs we’re coming back into Hope Saturday evening. They were southbound on State Road 9 getting ready to turn onto SR 252. When someone turned in front of them. They were hit head on, the seat belts worked, the airbags deployed as they are supposed to, they were pretty banged up with seat belt and airbag burns, bumps, scrapes, and bruises and generally shaken up and sore. The people in the other car were taken by ambulance to the hospital. You can see from the damage to the Jeep that it is probably totaled. I went to see Jake and Tanya in the office Tuesday, to check up on them. They said they were doing OK, and my second question was to ask who hit the windshield. I had seen that somebody had hit the windshield because it was unmistakably staring. Jake informed me that that was only his hand but had minor cuts and bruises. Both of their comments were along the lines that this accident could have been a whole lot worse. All the safety equipment and the sturdiness of the vehicle held up and protected them. They were concerned about the occupants of the other car, even though they caused the accident they were concerned for their well-being. They commented many times this could have been a whole lot worse, we got off really good! Yes, the accident was horrible, but both were counting their blessings and how things could have gone, but it didn’t. One of jake’s comments that I recall “the Jeep can be replaced, and we are not hurt beyond healing, we will heal”. They praised God for watching over them. That is an attitude of gratitude.
As humans that is our problem, we are blinded to everything except the negative. We only want to see the problem. It is hard for us to see the blessings that come out of terrible things. God does not make these problems occur, but he is with us during them. Sometimes God is there to simply comfort us, other times he’s there to protect us. For all of that, we should be thankful and offer up to God our Thanksgiving.
Think about this for a moment. What were the ten worst days of your life? How did you feel then? How do you feel about them now that you are on the other side of them? Now think about the ten best days in your life. How did they affect you? Now name ten people you are most thankful for. Did you see God in all of these? In every one of those times, how can, or what can you be thankful for, with intentional gratitude? Gratitude is a gateway to healing of the soul and spirit. Finding a quiet space allows you to create an intentional gratitude toward God. You cannot create anything when your mind is racing or inundated with thought and occupation.
So how do we offer God an attitude of gratitude? My friends That answer is very simple. First and foremost, we need to offer up praises to God in Thanksgiving through prayer. Not some prayer that we offer out of obligation or necessity, but in sincere gratitude from the depths of our hearts. While in that prayer the Holy Spirit may convict, you’re being on something that can be done to share the love and blessings of God with others. That could consist of talents that you have, which come from the holy spirit that only you, in all of earth, can provide. God gave you those gifts of talent for a reason and we need to take the time to use. Lastly, the offering of our tithe. God has given you the gift of your ability to work so that you can earn a decent wage. Providing back to God within the church so that the ministries of God can be continued, we are asked to tithe to the church. Yes, during this time of the year is when most churches start a capital campaign, to fund the budget for the upcoming year. This is your home church, this is your community, how are you giving back the love of God with what you have been blessed?
I do have to say that for me personally, as your pastor, I don’t like to stand up here in the pulpit and beg, demand, or plead the case to get your dollars. I have watched many of clergy do that and seen how it turns a listening Christian into a deaf ear. I truly believe that God talks to you and tells you what you should do when it comes to time, talent, and tithe. God is the one that puts it upon your heart how much of each of you should give, but it is totally up to you on whether you listen with an attitude of gratitude. That is where I like to leave it, between you and God. How thankful are you this season of Thanksgiving?
