Gratitude as a Way of Life
by David Jeremiah

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

When the American pilgrims celebrated three days of thanksgiving in 1621 they were doing what came naturally for them: honoring God in the daily course of events. Many had perished. Food was scarce. Their Indian neighbors were hostile. But they survived. It only seemed normal to them to give God thanks. They weren’t instituting a public holiday – they were manifesting a lifestyle of gratitude.

In the Old Testament, seven days were set aside for feasts of thanksgiving. In 1621, three days were set aside. Today, we set aside one day – and spend most of that day focused on food and football. A national day of Thanksgiving is certainly better than none at all, but how much better would be if every person lived a life of gratitude toward God – 365 days a year. No special meals would be required – just daily gratitude for the Bread of Life. No unique decorations would be called for – just the fragrant aroma of thankfulness. And no invitations would need to be sent – other than inviting people to taste and see that the Lord is good.

If you are grateful to God for His blessings, make sure it’s an everyday kind of gratitude – beginning today.

Proper Thanksgiving Perspective

The following is an excerpt from Charles Spurgeon’s sermon “Always and for All Things,” written on February 2, 1873 -

Every hour, yes, every moment has brought a favor upon its wings. Look downward and give thanks, for you are saved from Hell! Look on the right hand and give thanks, for you are enriched with gracious gifts! Look on the left hand and give thanks, for you are shielded from deadly ills! Look above you and give thanks, for Heaven awaits you! Nor is it alone for great and eternal benefits, but even for minor and temporary benefits we ought to give thanks.

There ought not to be brought into the house a loaf of bread without thanksgiving. Nor should we cast a coal upon the fire without gratitude. We eat like dogs if we sit down to our meals without devoutly blessing God! We live like serpents if we never rise to devout recognition of the Lord’s kindness! We ought not to put on our garments without adoring God, or take them off to rest in our beds without praising Him! Each breath of air should inspire us with thanks and the blood in our veins should circulate gratitude throughout our system. 

GAS MAN COMING SAT., NOV. 28TH - BRRRRRRRRR

HOW TO WAIT  By Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

"Blessed is he that waiteth" (Dan. 12:12).

It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still.

There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take. Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption?

No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God and spread the case before Him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead His promise of aid.

Wait in faith. Express your unstaggering confidence in Him. Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come, and shall not tarry.

Wait in quiet patience. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses. Accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of your covenant God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but Thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities; but I will wait until Thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. I will wait, if Thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon Thee alone, O God, and my spirit waiteth for Thee in full conviction that Thou wilt yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower." --Morning by Morning

Rest, peacefully rest
On thy Saviour's breast;
Breathe in His ear thy sacred high ambition,
And He will bring it forth in blest fruition.
Then rest, rest,
Peacefully rest! --Mercy A. Gladwin

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I called a week ago today to schedule an appointment for the Gas Co. to come and turn our heat on. The next available appt for our area is Monday, November 30th. It probably wouldn't be bad, but it stays COLD in the house. Last night I felt like I was getting the chills and I do not want to get sick. This morning, I called the Gas Co. before 7 a.m.  When that automated person talks to you, I just kept pressing ZERO and finally got through to a LIVE person. Well, I got the date moved up to Saturday, November 28th. Think I'll call again in a few hours and see what happens. I'm reminded of the story where that lady in the Bible wouldn't take NO from the Judge and he finally gave in! Help me, Lord!!!

 DON'T BE OFFENDED by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

"Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me" (Luke 7:23).

It is sometimes very difficult not to be offended in Jesus Christ. The offenses may be circumstantial. I find myself in a prison-house--a narrow sphere, a sick chamber, an unpopular position--when I had hoped for wide opportunities. Yes, but He knows what is best for me. My environment is of His determining. He means it to intensify my faith, to draw me into nearer communion with Himself, to ripen my power. In the dungeon my soul should prosper.

The offense may be mental. I am haunted by perplexities, questions, which I cannot solve. I had hoped that, when I gave myself to Him, my sky would always be clear; but often it is overspread by mist and cloud. Yet let me believe that, if difficulties remain, it is that I may learn to trust Him all the more implicitly--to trust and not be afraid. Yes, and by my intellectual conflicts, I am trained to be a tutor to other storm-driven men.

The offense may be spiritual. I had fancied that within His fold I should never feel the biting winds of temptation; but it is best as it is. His grace is magnified. My own character is matured. His Heaven is sweeter at the close of the day. There I shall look back on the turnings and trials of the way, and shall sing the praises of my Guide. So, let come what will come, His will is welcome; and I shall refuse to be offended in my loving Lord. --Alexander Smellie

Yea, blessed art thou whose faith is "not offended"
By trials unexplained,
By mysteries unsolved, past understanding,
Until the goal is gained. --Freda Hanbury Allen

The Wren Still Sings

It was one of those rainy and dreary spring days. Although it wasn’t extremely cold, it seemed that the wind caused a chill to come over me. It was the kind of weather that after a few days of it, my mood began to match the gloomy climate.

I had finished my chores and was hurrying as fast as I could to get back into the warm house and out of the continuous drizzle when I heard something. I ran on inside the back door to get out of the rain but I turned and peeked back out the screen door. I wanted to see if I could discover the origin of the lovely sound that I was hearing. As I listened, I heard the sound again. I looked over toward the lilac bush and there sat a little wren that had made her nest in the tomato juice can that Mom had hung in the bushes years ago. The wind was causing her house to sway and the rain was coming down harder than ever. Yet, she seemed to look upward as she held on tightly with her tiny bird feet to a small branch and continued her sweet musical solo. Although her world was shaken, the wren still sang.

Perhaps we could take a lesson from the birds and learn to make our nests, feed our young, and sing to God. The birds don’t ask for better nests or even better material for nests. They don’t complain about their lot in life, but they take what God has given them and then they do their best to create something beautiful with it.

I have always enjoyed watching birds. I delight in the brilliant red of the cardinal, the beauty of the bluebird, and the unique touch of red on the red winged blackbird.

The birds each have a special song of their own to sing. Some have a very brief series of chirps while others have a whole chorus to perform. The Whippoorwill seems to sing her name while the quail simply calls his “bob white”.

I have a tiny hummingbird’s nest that is a work of art. It is so small and beautifully made that I wonder at the perfection of this wee bird’s creation. It is completely round and about the size of silver dollar. The outside is foundational with the rougher pieces of sticks and materials at the bottom of the nest. Gradually, the materials become softer until the finishing touch on the very top of the inside of the nest is covered with a soft layer of hair and fur.

The birds around us are all different yet they don’t seem unhappy with their plumages nor do they try to look like other birds. The sparrow doesn’t rush right out to get his feathers dyed red to look like the cardinal nor does the robin try to peck away on a tree like the woodpecker.

The birds seem to be very content as they sing, fly, and work at their job of being a bird. It doesn’t seem to me that birds have much trouble with being happy. It must be because they trust their heavenly Father. They don’t worry about life... they just live it. The birds neither sow nor reap yet God feeds and takes care of them and we are told that we are of so much greater value than the birds.

The wind, rain, and the storms of life happen to people as well as to birds, but let’s try to look up when our world is shaken too, and remember that the wren still sings!

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens; They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” (Luke 12:24)   Pamela R. Blaine