Recently I was diagnosed with an ailment that was causing me constant pain in my knee, a slight limp and worrisome thoughts that I might need some type of surgery or serious medications. Once defined as a common but painful situation I was relieved but still anxious. I shared my plight with a few friends and immediately they all voiced ideas and one said, “Oh, I had that and I got over it ; you will too”. I immediately felt lighter and a sense of hope.
One of the world’s most loved Christmas carols, “O, Holy Night” has the line. “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!”. I understand a little better the idea of “A thrill of hope”. Things will get better, the future is brighter, wounds will be made whole, illnesses healed. Yonder, in the manger lies the answer, a new and glorious morn! It was the night of our dear Saviors birth! No matter how long we have lain in our sin and error , HE has appeared, and our souls are worthy through HIM!! Trust in this Child of the virgin, this sacrifice of the cross! There is the thrill of hope for all our situations. They will either be resolved here or in eternity. You will “get over it’ like my unexpected diagnosis, the pain will be relieved in time. God’s time.
So, even though I will need to carefully fall on my knees, I want to proclaim with those angel voices, “O night divine, O, Holy Night, when Christ was born!!
While preparing for Christmas I have carols playing continually to keep me moving and inspired. I love to catch some of the phrases in my mind and focus on what the writers were expressing from their hearts. Two verses from ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” caught my attention and stirred my soul. The last two verses say, ” Then in despair I bowed my head, ‘there is no peace on earth’ I said. For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep GOD IS NOT DEAD nor doth He sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
Penned by Longfellow in 1863, its sentiments could have been written this year. Many times the events of our nations cause us to bow our heads in despair, the situations in our families cause heart break and the sin in our own lives mocks back at us that hate is strong. But God didn’t leave His creation there. In the manger was provided the “right that will prevail”. The Son of God was given who can restore nations, mend brokenness and forgive and heal from personal guilt. From that night of the nativity there is a hope that causes us to raise our heads and peal the bells loud and deep! God is not dead, nor doth He sleep! Joy to the World, our Lord has come!!!
I am one of those people who begin listening to Christmas music early in the season. Each year there seems to be one verse or phrase that catches my attention regardless of how many times I have heard or sung it. While decorating my tree Sunday night I heard “with the dawn of redeeming grace “ and literally stopped working and sat on the top of my ladder and wondered……”the dawn of redeeming grace”. I have studied grace in the past but this was a new idea!! The birth of the Christ child brought a dawning into humanity’s night. No more striving to keep the law and failing. I now rely on the grace of Christ to redeem me back to God.
Then I heard the word “dawning”. Like the sun, grace has always been there in the essence of God, even before the sun was created!! But the birth of the Son of God displayed for us the dawn of His saving grace. Light into darkness, night becomes day, amazing grace!! I hope each time you hear this phrase, this season, that you will wonder at the “dawn of redeeming grace”.
When we are hungry we look to satisfy it, we imagine what food we love and are very active onlooking for and finding it. Then we eat it, every mouthful is amazing and on completion of eating it we are satisfied.
Hunger for God, to encounter Him and to experience the revelation of His word is a heart cry for a close relationship with Him. We can be spiritually satisfied when we seek after God, His righteousness, His word and communication with Almighty God.
Are we spiritually hungry for God and His word? Does your heart, like mine, resound a loud ‘Yes’?
The good news is, the heart of God responds well to our hunger for Him, because He longs to share His heart with us and reveal His truth to us.
God is waiting for our hearts to be hungry for Him, thirst for Him and to seek Him and be active in seeking Him through His word, in prayer and in His Presence. God is ALWAYS ready to reply, respond and speak to our hearts in response to our ‘hunger’ for Him.
This verse in Matthew 5:6 comes with promise, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Have we noticed this verse in Revelation 3:20
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Jesus is here, he is at the door of our hearts already knocking and again He responds to our hunger for Him. We will be satisfied everytime! He has a banquet ready for us to feast on WITH HIM each time.
Take time today to satisfy your hunger with the Lord today, He is waiting.
Recently a friend told me about a very difficult period in her life. She fell into a depression from which she couldn’t pull herself out. During that time someone advised her to find three things for which she was thankful and to write them down. She decided to listen to that advise, and from then on she has “religiously” kept a gratitude journal. If you met her today, you would never imagine that she ever had a negative thought in her life. My friend is fulfilled; one of the happiest people I know. Incredible. Or not?
The Benefits of Gratitude
Expressing gratitude is one of the best ways to increase your happiness and improve your life, because gratitude reprograms your mind to focus on the positive. Hundreds of studies have shown us the benefits of gratitude. People who are grateful have a greater sense of purpose, see their lives as significant, have positive relationships, a positive disposition and experience greater levels of joy, satisfaction and optimism. You can’t be unhappy and thankful at the same time, nor have self-pity and gratitude, just like you can’t feel frustrated and thankful at the same time.
If that’s the case, why are so many people who aren’t grateful?
Many people aren’t grateful because they aren’t able to accept the role of God or others in their lives. They believe they have a right to all the benefits they have, and they take them for granted. Maybe it’s because the situations they find themselves in are bad, things haven’t turned out as they expected, or they have a lot of problems, like the saying goes life constantly gives them lemons. But I think the point of this saying is, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” So gratitude shouldn’t be a result of what happens to us, but an attitude we nurture as we put it into practice. Gratitude is a choice. In every situation we can find something for which to be grateful.
How do I incorporate gratitude into my life?
First of all, start like my friend: Take a notebook and title it ‘Gratitude Journal’. Keep it next to your bed. In that journal write down every day three things for which you are grateful. It might be difficult in the beginning to find these things, but start simple. Write down that you’re grateful that you are breathing, that you have a roof over your head, that you had something to eat that day… Give thanks for your family, friends, a beautiful day…for a sunset, that someone made you laugh…, and you will see as you start that every day it will be easier to find things for which you are grateful.
Give thanks for the people in your life. Give thanks for your parents who gave you life, give thanks for your spouse that made you lunch, give thanks for the worker that did their job…even if it is understood and normal for them to do so. Give thanks with a note, or a little gift and show the people in your life that you appreciate them and value what they do for you.
Use the breaks life gives you. When the traffic light turns red, when there’s a jam on the road, when you’re stuck in a line, while you’re waiting at the doctor’s office…count the things for which you can be grateful, and remember the people for whom you can give thanks.
Try it out, and after some time you will notice that you are more satisfied and that you have a positive look on life.