OCTOBER 29, 2022

 “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”  

 Ralph Waldo Emerson

JEREMIAH 25-26

 4And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. 5They said, “Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. 6Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. (25:4-6)

2 TIMOTHY 3

 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

JOURNAL 

Sometimes life gets to me...the arrogance, hypocrisy, hatred, betrayal...It is enough to cause me to want to turn off all connection to the world and go live in a tent in the middle of Montana.  Yet what always gets me is just when I am most disgusted with others, scripture punches me right in the nose...We are told to respect and serve the government in which we are under (Romans 13). We are told to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us (Matthew 5). We are told to be a light on a hill (Matthew 5). We are told to love our neighbors (Mark 12). We are told to give to those who ask and even if they take from us and not to ask for it back (Luke 6). 

So I find myself in the dilemma where I must take the plank out of my own eye (Matthew 7). I must acknowledge my own struggles and then by surrendering, loving, giving and honoring all that God commands, love others. This is hard...but only because of my failure to be continually grateful for the gift of life and the precious opportunities of every moment. 

I really see how lack of gratefulness contributes to a lack of obedience. For when I am truly grateful I am filled with an energy to give, love and obey. 

16Rejoice always, 17pray continually, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.