Grateful in all things

In a cold dark jail cell, away from friends and family, he sat.  Every sound reminded him of his fate.  The chains that cuffed his ankles and wrists cut into his flesh with every move. He had been unjustly accused, and treated brutally. If ever a person had a right to complain, it was this man. But instead of complaints, he offered words of praise and thanksgiving to God, saying:

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20, NIV).

If you haven’t figured it out already, the man was the Apostle Paul. 

Imagine, thanking and praising God in all things. Clearly, for Paul, thanksgiving was not just a once a year celebration but rather a daily, moment by moment reality. His attitude changed his life and made him grateful in every situation.

It’s hard to fathom being grateful in a jail cell, or after hearing hard news, or experiencing the loss of a loved one, or losing a job. The pain of a particular event or circumstance can eclipse the blessings of God. If we are honest, so many of us also forget to be grateful in the everyday mundane things of life too. But we are reminded by Paul, to be:

grateful in all things.

Regardless of what’s happing in your life at this moment — good, bad or mundane — God has blessed you in numerous ways.  

Take a moment and think about the material blessings that God has given you, and the people in your life, and think about this: even in the midst of whatever is going on in your life today, God is near.  God knows what you are facing and God promises to never leave you. God promises to help you. And that is definitely something to be grateful for!

Travelling light

The other night, I was out for dinner with some lovely ladies from a Life Group.  We were talking about travelling and how difficult it is to travel light. 

One of the ladies said, “I had to have friends, who were joining us on our trip, bring 4 pairs of my shoes and that was in addition to the 6 pairs I was bringing myself!”  Truly a woman after my own heart!

Our discussion reminded me of a significant life lesson I learned several years ago. 

In the midst of a very busy time in our lives - Brian and I went on a cruise with some friends.   It was at a time of heightened security, so much so that we couldn’t even bring a carry-on on to the plane.   No gels, no fluids, no exceptions, not even for my tiny tube of lip gloss, which I considered essential.  The security guard begged to disagree.  Everything needed to be checked in.  

We arrived at our destination in good time to get to the pier and jump on the cruise ship.  Our vacation was within reach. However, when we arrived at the airport in Florida we were met with yet another security screening.  It’s seemed a bit excessive but “whatever”, we were almost there… I could almost feel the warm ocean breeze!  After being cleared by security we were directed to the baggage carousal. The four of us stood with great anticipation, each awaiting our bag.  We were so close we could taste it.

“There’s mine”, my friend said as she pulled her bag off the moving track.  

One, two, three bags retrieved. 

“Oh, noooo”, I thought to myself. 

You know that dreaded feeling that settles in your stomach?  That unsettling feeling that screams “they’ve lost my luggage!”.  When the moving serpentine track came to a dead stop and the throng of people dwindle to just the four of us, it became clear that the airline had lost my baggage.  All of it.  Even my lipgloss!

All I had, as I I left the airport, was what I was wearing. Let me assure you it was not Captain’s Table worthy!  I wasn’t smart enough to pack my lipgloss  or anything else for that matter in Brian’s bag.    

My baggage didn’t find me until day four of our cruise, and you know what?  I managed.  In fact, I shocked myself and my friends on how well I managed for four days, on a cruise without my baggage.  It was actually liberating to discover how little one really needs.

Now when I pack, I only pack the essentials.  I am proud to say that today I can travel light, and leave the baggage at home. 

Losing my baggage was actually very freeing!

Here’s the thing, we all carry a lot of baggage - literally and figuratively - like emotional baggage, family baggage, addiction baggage, and the list goes on.  Jesus says….“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free…”   Jesus came to set us free from our baggage.  

We don’t have to go through life tied to the baggage we don’t need.  We can get rid of it and live the free life that Christ came and died for us to live.

There is such freedom in travelling through life unencumbered with baggage.  As we begin 2019… consider what baggage you want to shed.

My New Year's Inspiration

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you. (Ezekiel 36:26,27a)

“This morning,” Fred said as he leisurely paced the platform, “I want to talk about a New Year’s Revolution.”  He paused for a moment, “Yup that’s what I said, Revolution!”

This past Sunday, the Rev. Fred Stewart was our guest preacher at Amberlea.  What a wonderful way to ring in the first Sunday of the new year!  As you may know, Fred was the previous minister before I came to Amberlea in 2012.

Fred spoke well.  Fred spoke clearly. Fred spoke passionately. But what inspired me most was his hope.  Hope in a God who, through the darkest of days, has remained with him. 

In August of 2018, Fred said goodbye to his beautiful daughter, who, as Fred emotionally stated, "went to be with Jesus”.  As the words came out of his mouth, you could hear audible gasps break through the silence and in that moment our hearts melded with his. 

Fred’s lovely wife and two granddaughters joined him at Amberlea on Sunday.  The two little ones arrived and promptly took over my office with their coats, toys and snacks. It was a lovely mayhem. As I sat with them before the service, I was moved as the two young girls showed me their dolls and talked freely about their mom, who was now in heaven.  My heart melded with theirs.

Fred talked a lot about the heart on Sunday.  Check out his message.

As we enter into a new year full of POSSIBILITIES and HOPE, let ours be a heart that is:  reformed, refocused, renewed, refreshed and changed. And as such, let’s allow 2019 to be the beginning of a REVOLUTION, as we seek God in all things.

Remember no matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’ve done, no matter what has happened to you, there is GOD. God is with YOU. 

Join us this Sunday as we begin a new four part sermon series.  

I look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday!