Some Thoughts for the Beginning of the Year
Today our pastor preached a a sermon on the New Year. He based is sermon on Ephesians 1: 15-18, and he challenged us to be like Paul and pray for the believers in our midst. I would like to to that this year. He said you come to love those you pray for.This I know from experience to be true. Then he said, "It is easier to see the weaknesses in others." Right away the Lord spoke to my heart and showed me a glaring sin within me that parallels pastor's comment about seeing the weaknesses in others.
One of my son's got married December 21st to a wonderful young woman and we are overjoyed that God has blessed us with another daughter. Another son and daughter are making inquiries into graduate school and soon will leaving the nest. This too is wonderful,but for some reason, it left me with a sadness. I hesitate it to call it depression, but I had felt a bit sorry for myself. Mostly I think my sadness came as a result of my oldest son's refusal to spend some time with us on Christmas. I had decorated my house with my grandchildren (ages 5 and 4) in mind and wanted them to see the house all decorated. They have not been here in four years, and I longed to have them come. Okay, I had a major pity party here. I looked at two of my friends and they spent Christmas with all their children and grandchildren, and thought, "God, you are blessing them, why are you not blessing me?" Honestly I know this is foolish, but that is how I felt. Until today, when pastor made the comment about seeing the weaknesses in others, the Lord showed me that I looked at the blessings in others, without seeing all the trials they went through. I looked at the blessing, but that was not the total picture of their lives. Seeing only weaknesses in others is no better than see only blessing in other lives. It gives an incomplete picture of who we are.
One friend had been estranged from one of her sons, so that last Christmas, he didn't even speak to her, but during the year, God worked in hearts and restored the son to his mother, so her blessing was very great. The other friend who enjoyed having had her grandchild with her, had to spend countless hours of worry over the health of her mother, and there had been doubt that her mother would even be alive to celebrate Christmas with her. How great her blessing. God had indeed blessed me too in countless other ways. My son and his new bride spent Christmas day with us, and we could joy in their young love. God brought us safely back from the wedding, and brought Joseph healing. So many ways God blesses, and I had focused on one thing that didn't happen and rested all blessing on seeing my grandchildren. How foolish I am. How patient God is with me.
Today, I wanted to accept pastor's challenge to pray for the people in church as Paul had prayed in Ephesians that they grow in the knowledge of Christ. I also want to stop seeing weaknesses in others, and to start rejoicing in the blessings God bestows on His children instead of coveting blessing. The scripture says in Psalm 68:19 that God daily loadeth us with blessings. I purpose this year to see the blessings that I am loaded with and share them here.
I pray that whoever reads this blog knows that I am a sinner saved by the marvelous grace of God, and how tenderly He watches us over us and teaches us His word. My blessing today came in church in seeing that I am indeed blessed to be saved, and not because of any merit on my part, but all because of what Christ has done for me. I pray that this year, dear reader, you too will discover a closer walk with the Lord. May we all look at others in a new way.
To quote Tiny Tim, May God Bless us Everyone!
One of my son's got married December 21st to a wonderful young woman and we are overjoyed that God has blessed us with another daughter. Another son and daughter are making inquiries into graduate school and soon will leaving the nest. This too is wonderful,but for some reason, it left me with a sadness. I hesitate it to call it depression, but I had felt a bit sorry for myself. Mostly I think my sadness came as a result of my oldest son's refusal to spend some time with us on Christmas. I had decorated my house with my grandchildren (ages 5 and 4) in mind and wanted them to see the house all decorated. They have not been here in four years, and I longed to have them come. Okay, I had a major pity party here. I looked at two of my friends and they spent Christmas with all their children and grandchildren, and thought, "God, you are blessing them, why are you not blessing me?" Honestly I know this is foolish, but that is how I felt. Until today, when pastor made the comment about seeing the weaknesses in others, the Lord showed me that I looked at the blessings in others, without seeing all the trials they went through. I looked at the blessing, but that was not the total picture of their lives. Seeing only weaknesses in others is no better than see only blessing in other lives. It gives an incomplete picture of who we are.
One friend had been estranged from one of her sons, so that last Christmas, he didn't even speak to her, but during the year, God worked in hearts and restored the son to his mother, so her blessing was very great. The other friend who enjoyed having had her grandchild with her, had to spend countless hours of worry over the health of her mother, and there had been doubt that her mother would even be alive to celebrate Christmas with her. How great her blessing. God had indeed blessed me too in countless other ways. My son and his new bride spent Christmas day with us, and we could joy in their young love. God brought us safely back from the wedding, and brought Joseph healing. So many ways God blesses, and I had focused on one thing that didn't happen and rested all blessing on seeing my grandchildren. How foolish I am. How patient God is with me.
Today, I wanted to accept pastor's challenge to pray for the people in church as Paul had prayed in Ephesians that they grow in the knowledge of Christ. I also want to stop seeing weaknesses in others, and to start rejoicing in the blessings God bestows on His children instead of coveting blessing. The scripture says in Psalm 68:19 that God daily loadeth us with blessings. I purpose this year to see the blessings that I am loaded with and share them here.
I pray that whoever reads this blog knows that I am a sinner saved by the marvelous grace of God, and how tenderly He watches us over us and teaches us His word. My blessing today came in church in seeing that I am indeed blessed to be saved, and not because of any merit on my part, but all because of what Christ has done for me. I pray that this year, dear reader, you too will discover a closer walk with the Lord. May we all look at others in a new way.
To quote Tiny Tim, May God Bless us Everyone!
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