Thoughts for another day

October 2, 2006

Today's verse: Ps. 126:3. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. KJV)

There is a beautiful song, composed initially by Johnson Oatman Jr., ‘Count your Blessings, name them one by one…’ It truly reminds us of the plenty that God our Father has blessed us with and the need to thank Him for it.

Right from the time we were born till today, God has sent toward us plenty of good things, many of which we don’t even know. He has kept us safe from the many tragedies that befall others. The other day I met the father of a little girl who has been severely afflicted in the brain. As I was talking to this man, he said something that really shook me. He said, ‘my friend, I thank God for my daughter. It is she who reminds me to be grateful to Him for our good health and particularly the good health of the brain of my wife and other children’. Imagine, to stand and say, ‘Thank God for this calamity!’

My beloved in Christ, many times when we see certain people, who are so happy and glorious all the time, we don’t seem to think of the pain they have in their lives. Like for e.g. the man above. Yet, being blessed by God, they thank Him for everything all the time. How I wish and pray that deep inside each one of us, there would flow the incessant spring of thanksgiving to the Almighty. God is certainly pleased with our lifting our eyes to heaven and thanking Him.

I exhort you to look up and thank Him for everything – good or bad. He sure will rejoice over you with joy. He will rest in His love. He will joy over you with singing. And most certainly, the streams of His blessings will chart their course toward you and His joy will become the strength in your being.