Let's Say Thanks Already!

November 8th

When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people...

Mark 8:6

Lindsay placed the grilled cheese sandwich in front of her eighteen-month-old daughter, Jozlyn, and turned back to get their drinks. Her mom, Nancy, was getting the rest of the food and condiments from the fridge.

Both heard 'jabbering' along with a slapping sound, and turned to find they were being beckoned. Ready to eat, Jozlyn was rapping on her highchair tray with her little hand, while trying to be understood in 'toddler-speak'.

Having gotten their attention, she held out her hands, looking with anticipation from her sandwich to her mom and grandma, and back to the sandwich.

Lindsay responded with a knowing smile. “Okay, Little J,” she said, as she and Nancy walked over, and took Jozlyn's hands so they could say grace.

As Lindsay said, “Amen,” Jozlyn pulled her hands away, picked up a wedge of her sandwich, and began eating; God had been thanked, her food had been blessed, and it was okay to eat!

Lindsay and Nancy smiled, delighted Jozlyn had waited to begin eating until thanks had been given.

†

The term 'Out of the mouths of babes' is apropos in this situation. Although complete understanding is years away, Jozlyn already knows the importance of bowing her head and thanking God for her food.

Having witnessed and been a part of prayer before every meal of her young life, Jozlyn, hungry as she was, knew she needed to say thanks for the food before she ate. Having her display basic understanding, and a willingness to adhere to her parent's teaching at such a tender age, was exciting.

We have many examples throughout scripture where Jesus and His Disciples showed gratitude for the things they received from the hand of God.

As Jozlyn's actions attests, we learn best by example, and God knows it. I think it quite probable that many in the crowd mentioned in today's text witnessed the value of giving thanks, and applied that simple yet powerful act of gratitude from that day forward.

Prayer

“Father, for all we receive from Your hand, we give You thanks! Amen.”

 No Sign of Life

November 7

I have come that they may have life...

John 10:10

Bill and Amy were out for their evening walk, which took them past Amy’s Grandmother’s house. As they passed the house Amy glanced through the window. Seeing her Grama sitting on the couch, she waved. Walking on Amy said, “I don’t think she saw me.”

As they passed by on their second lap, Amy realized her Grama hadn’t moved since their last time by. Suddenly concerned, they turned up the drive and approached the front window, hoping to catch some sign of life. “I can’t tell if she’s breathing or not, Bill!”

It appeared Amy’s Grandmother had died while watching TV. The door was locked and knocking on the window got no response. Bill dialed 911, and the operator dispatched a police cruiser and squad to the residence. Arriving on scene, the officer decided to kick the door in. As he did the knob flew from the door, hitting Thelma in the forehead. To everyone’s surprise she awoke with a start! Seeing a uniformed officer looming over her, she blurted, “What are you doing in my house?!”

“I’m sorry, Grama,” Amy exclaimed, “but we thought you were dead!”

With her heartbeat returning to normal, Grama rubbed her forehead and replied sheepishly, “Nope, just taking a nap. I took my hearing aids out and fell asleep sitting up.”

†

Jesus came to give us eternal life. And with one act of surrender, that life can be ours. Many have made the decision to follow Jesus. Others have either never heard of Him, or have decided they are satisfied with the life they've chosen.

Like Amy and Bill, we should care enough to take action when we encounter someone who shows no sign of life. It may be difficult to tell where a person is in their walk with Jesus Christ, but it is usually evident when there is no walk at all.

It is every Christian’s privilege to share the hope they have in Jesus Christ. We are meant to be Jesus' hand extended. We have firsthand knowledge of of mercy and grace, and we should be happy to pass it along, knowing God will take things from there.

Prayer

“Holy Spirit, point out to me those around me who are perishing and give me the courage to speak to them about Jesus and the life they can have by surrendering to His care. Amen.”

 Bringing God Praise

November 6

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.

John 15:8

It was Wednesday evening and the mid-week service at church was only a half hour away. Marilyn had planned to go straight to the church after shopping. But as she reentered her credit card’s PIN the machine’s display once again said ‘DECLINED’. I thought for sure I had activated this card. Now what do I do? The grocery store didn’t accept checks and all her money was in this single account. There wasn’t time enough to go home, come back, and make it to church on time. Searching her purse, Marilyn found fifteen dollars, thirteen short of the total.

As her seventy-six year-old mind struggled to come up with other options an attractive young woman suddenly stepped forward, “I’ll take care of it,” she said, swiping her card.

As the young woman turned away Marilyn said, “You must be a Christian.”

The young lady nodded, and they both moved to the bagging area where introductions were made. “Charlene,” she said, intentionally withholding her last name while extending her hand. Smiling, Marilyn promised to pay Charlene’s act of kindness forward, making a silent vow to be on the lookout for an opportunity to bring God glory by helping someone in need.

†

The natural progression for a Christian’s life is one of bearing the fruit of good deeds. We are supposed to conduct ourselves in such a way that people realize our actions are the product of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This is not something to be preferred; it should be the motivating factor that gets us out of bed each morning.

In every occasion we are given a choice; to serve ourselves or others. Church historian, Bernhard Loshe, wrote, “Since we authenticate God’s salvation by our lives and words, we can either impugn or enhance God’s reputation by bad or good examples.”

Being on the giving end of God’s blessing, as Charlene was, is one of the most fulfilling rewards we will ever experience. But the most important benefit of such action is that it brings God praise.

Prayer

“LORD, I want the life I live to bring You praise. Help me be the light that draws others to You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Two Very Different People

November 5

And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:8

Growing up, Tim and Paul faced challenges no child was ever meant to face. Both mother and father were alcoholics, and never sought treatment for their disease. As boys, Tim and Paul had suffered beatings from their father while fending for themselves finding something to eat, doing their own laundry, and everything else necessary for survival.

As the years passed, Tim became angry and lashed out at society, eventually adopting a lifestyle of criminal behavior. He found himself incarcerated more than he was free.

Paul, in sharp contrast, became a police officer, serving the community his parents had been a drain on.

On patrol one night, a call came over Paul’s radio, asking for any officers in the vicinity to respond to a hostage situation. Paul and his partner were only six blocks away and responded immediately. When they arrived at the address Paul was shocked to find out the hostage-taker was his brother, Tim.

Realizing he was too close to the situation, Paul remained in the cruiser while his partner joined the SWAT Team that was already on the scene. After a tense two hour standoff, police were able to negotiate a peaceful resolution, taking Tim into custody.

†

How do two people who experience the same circumstances, tumultuous or otherwise, wind up on opposite ends of the personality/psyche spectrum?

Some time ago, I heard an explanation that has stuck with me. It may be the best explanation I’ve ever heard: “If you drop two bottles they will both break. But it’s the way they break that determines what happens with the remnants. One breaks and shatters into a million pieces, crushed by the experience. The other shatters and a sharp weapon is fashioned.”

Everyone encounters unfair challenges in life. The difference in how we respond and develop has always been whether we, like Paul, allow our hearts to be healed, or, like Tim, allow bitterness to take root. Disappointment is inevitable, discouragement is a choice.

Prayer

“Lord, I choose to give You the shattered pieces of my life to bring healing. Take those pieces and fashion a weapon for Your service. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 He Comes to…Destroy

November 4

The thief comes only to…destroy;

John 10:10

When Mark and Vanessa Rodriguez returned from vacation they weren’t prepared for what they found. Sometime during their absence there’d been a break-in. Their home was trashed. Finding no sign of forced entry, Mark asked Vanessa, “Did you forget to lock the door when we left?”

Vanessa reacted immediately, “What do you mean did ‘I’ forget to lock the door?! You were the last one out…remember?!”

They had gone on this vacation to try and relieve the stress in their marriage, to rekindle the spark that was there when they’d first met. They’d spent hours walking hand in hand on the beach, and shared time alone in the condo…just the two of them.

Alone, away from the demands of the world, they talked and assessed their life. Mark had promised to cut back on his hours at work, and had committed to really listening to Vanessa. She, in turn, promised not to take everything he said as an attack. When the week ended, they knew that the same deep love they’d had for one another still burned inside, but the old patterns had reemerged. In a moment of clarity, Mark saw what was happening, and said, “I’m so sorry, Nessa. It doesn’t matter how it happened. It’s not worth fighting over.” They both realized that reconciliation was going to take a concerted effort.

†

In the same way the Rodriguez home was ransacked, satan wants to bring ruin to our relationships. There is an unparalleled bitterness that drives him to destroy the things of God. It’s personal because he hates God…and every one of His children, so he tries to undermine our relationships.

Using the wedges of loneliness, mistrust, pride, heartache, entitlement, and many other tools, satan sets about driving us apart. Over time, we forget how it all started, but, unwilling to give in, we assert our right to hang on to our bitterness and resentment. We hold on to blame, and Satan wins.

Only by bringing our problems to Jesus can we ever hope to find healing and reconciliation. With this critical information, shouldn't we deny satan the opportunity to destroy our lives?

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, I come today asking forgiveness for my stubborn heart. Heal this relationship and make it new. Show me how to surrender my will to You. Amen.”

 He Comes to…Kill

November 3

The thief comes only to…kill.

John 10:10

Noella cringed as if doing so would soften the cutting blow. “You’re so stupid! I wish I’d had an abortion!” her mother screamed. But no matter how hard she tried, Noella couldn’t stop the words from penetrating her heart. But her mother wasn’t finished, “Your father was just like you…worthless!”

All the way to school her mother’s words echoed in her mind.

Born with fetal alcohol syndrome, Noella’s first twelve years of life had been anything but pleasant. With multiple learning disabilities, and underdeveloped for her age, she found herself at a disadvantage. Her classmates shunned her. And her teachers seemed not to care that she was failing in every class. Their conditioned response each time she requested additional assistance was, “There’s just not enough time to help every individual student, Noella. Ask your mother for help.” It seemed there was no one she could turn to.

And then, the school hired Mrs. Shoemaker as the Administrator for Student Assistance. She conducted assessments of each student that fell under her authority. When she met Noella something drew her to the small sixth grader. “How would you like it if you and I became friends?” she asked.

“Ohhh!” the joy poured from Noella’s heart. “That would be wonderful!”

†

The enemy will stop at nothing to kill our spirit, and to that end, He uses discouragement, depression, slander and every other weapon in his arsenal in order to commit emotional and spiritual assassination, things such as circumstances and events, family and friends.

Sadly, many parents fall into his trap. Regardless of what we think, there is no valid excuse. Saying, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that…” may be the right thing to do afterwords, but the results are still the same…we have wounded our child’s spirit. We must refrain from saying hurtful things.

If we are to be successful in raising emotionally healthy children we must be diligent in policing our words and actions. We should pattern our parenting skills after Mrs. Shoemaker instead of Noella’s mother. Investing wisely in our children requires conscious effort. When the enemy tries to enlist your assistance, refuse to participate.

Prayer

“Father, may I always speak words of encouragement and edification to those I have influence over. Help me guard my words. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 He Comes to…Steal*

November 2

The thief comes only to steal…

John 10:10

Sitting in his tree stand for an afternoon bowhunt, the hunter watched as the squirrel scurried from one place to another, looking for acorns. Each time he found a nut the squirrel would place it in his mouth while he dug a hole, then he would bury it with the intention of digging it up when food became scarce during the late-winter months.

For hours, the squirrel diligently hunted and gathered so that he might have food stored against times of need. As sunset approached the squirrel climbed his den tree and settled into his nest for the night, no doubt satisfied with the work he’d accomplished.

As the hunter continued to watch, he noticed an animal slinking along in the gathering darkness. As it drew closer he realized it was an opossum. He watched as the scavenger went from one cache to another, digging up the squirrel’s acorns and eating them. In less than half the time it had taken the squirrel to find and bury the nuts the opossum had found and eaten every one. And then off he plodded…his belly full of someone else’s provisions.

†

The opossum is a natural-born thief. He, like Satan, steals what rightfully belongs to others. The big difference is Satan knows better, and does it anyway. As a matter of fact, scripture says he looks for opportunities to steal everything we have. He is especially keen on stealing the promises of God.

One example would be when he sends the spirit of confusion to steal God’s word as we read our Bible, attempting to keep us from gaining strength through understanding. In this we must be deliberate, asking God to open the scriptures to us, and then planting it deep in our heart by meditating on what He shows us.

We must be tenacious in hanging on to the things God gives us. Knowing the enemy is coming to steal gives us power. With such knowledge we can take action.

Prayer

“Holy Spirit, Help me remain vigilant. Please alert me when the enemy is attempting to steal something from me so I can be ready to take authority over his actions, in Jesus’ Name. Show me how to derail his attempts. Amen!”

*Today’s devotion was inspired by Dan & Nancy Dick, authors of Wisdom From The Bible, ©1986 Barbour and Company, Inc.