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Gratitude: Day 29

Day 29: Gratitude focus – A friend from the past (childhood, high school, college)

Quality or name of God – My Loving God

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“O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.” (Psalm 59:9-10, NIV)

A few years ago now, it was the Physician’s Assistant who told me in a very gracious way that my test results were not good, and I needed surgery. No options. Then she sat and waited for me to lose it. I think she was startled when I didn’t. She told me more of the “back story” and again, she waited. I asked pertinent questions, discussed the possible timeline for surgery, and then thanked her for letting me know the results so clearly.

Her response? “Wow—you must have a really solid foundation? Do you realize what I just told you?” Yes, I had realized it, and yes, there would be moments of confusion, sadness, and even anger over the next six weeks—and beyond. But even in the midst of those reactions, the foundation never moved because the foundation is in Christ—Who never changes!

Today’s verses just reiterated that thought to me. He is my loving, merciful God. Everything that occurs in my life is the result of that. Everything.

When things are going well and my walk with Him is what it ought to be? His love is the same. When life goes pear shaped and even my best isn’t enough? His love for me is the same. When I’m financially secure? He loves me no more or no less. When I’m struggling to make it all happen? His love is the same.

Because of His love…He is (My Deliverer, My Portion, My Shepherd…)—and the blank could be filled with every word from November 1st until now! All the other names of God and character qualities of God that I’ve been writing about and thinking about this month come back to the fact that He is my loving God.

And that, my friends, is an unshakable foundation!

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 29, 59, 89, 119, 149

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 Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:
 
»  – Call or send an email to thank them for their impact in your life.
 
»$ – Write a thank you note or letter to your friend of focus. Send it through the mail to arrive later this week. Share a favorite memory of an event or act of kindness that influenced you in a positive way.
 
$ – Either through the mail, by personal delivery, or via local delivery service, send an inexpensive “just-because-I-appreciate-you” gift to your gratitude recipient—a plant, a favorite game for the family to play when you get together, a gift certificate for a manicure or a massage, etc.—and be sure to include a note of appreciation!
 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved

“Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.” (Unknown)

By Petals from the Basket | November 29, 2012 | Bible Reading, Friends, Ideas, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 28

Day 28: Gratitude focus – A relative

Quality or name of God – My Helper

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“The Lord is with me; he is my helper…. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.” (Psalm 118:7,13, NIV)

Many years ago now, I had a self-defense unit in one of my gym classes in high school. I don’t remember much from back then, but I do remember that when you are attacked, you’re supposed to yell, “FIRE!” {{Whaaa? Whaaat?}} Yes, that’s right. “Fire!” takes an attacker off guard, but even more importantly, people will coming running to see a fire. Few will come running if you cry “Help!” because they don’t want to get involved. The instructor told us these sad words: “Nobody wants to help anymore.”

But God (Don’t you just love the power behind those two words?) is called “my helper.” He will help! When my attacker, the evil one, comes at me to destroy my faith or to defeat me, I can scream, “Help!” and God will be there before I can put the exclamation point on it!

I don’t know about you, but I am grateful to know that I have never have to face attacks alone! “The Lord is with me. He is my Helper!”

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 28, 58, 88, 118, 148

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 Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:»  – Call or send an email to thank them for their impact in your life.»$ – Write a thank you note or letter to your relative of focus. Send it through the mail to arrive later this week. Share a favorite memory of an event or act of kindness that influenced you in a positive way.

$ – Either through the mail, by personal delivery, or via local delivery service, send an inexpensive “just-because-I-love-you” gift to your gratitude recipient—a plant, a favorite game for the family to play when you get together, a gift certificate for a manicure or a massage, etc.—and be sure to include a note of appreciation!

 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved

“Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful.” (Author Unknown)

By Petals from the Basket | November 28, 2012 | Bible Reading, Family, Ideas, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 27

Day 27: Gratitude focus – A teen who consistently tries to make good choices

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.” (Stacia Tauscher)

 

Quality or name of God – My Light

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 27, 57, 87, 117, 147

By Petals from the Basket | November 27, 2012 | Ideas, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 26

Day 26: Gratitude focus – An author or writer whose works I enjoy reading

Quality or name of God – Forgiving and Good

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“You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.” (Psalm 86:5, NIV)

The Hebrew word Callach which is used in today’s verse means not only “forgiving” but also “ready to forgive.” I don’t know about you, but I find enormous comfort in that fact! However, it got me to thinking about how I come to Him in my requests for forgiveness.

First and foremost, I often beg. I know the enormity of my wrongdoing, and I somehow feel that I must beg Him to forgive me. But in many ways, my asking in such a way is pointless—not because He is holding a grudge against me or that He won’t forgive, but because He already promised to forgive!

Secondly, I try to “bargain” with the Lord. This vain attempt is nothing more than ugly pride rearing its head—it means I’m still trying to DO something to earn His forgiveness, and I feel that some sort of “give-and-take” with me will be  beneficial to God. Once again, however, I am reminded from His own words that it’s not about me! “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5, NIV)

The third method is bribery. Today I sent a thank-you gift to one of my clients. I jokingly told the person who is delivering it that I was sending a “bribe” in order to get more work. (In truth, it is a sincere gift of gratitude!) Yet how often do I truly try to bribe God with something I think will impress Him? And He says to me in return: “I gave up the Only Son I had for you long before you even asked for forgiveness!”

No begging, no bargaining, and no bribery are needed! He is ready to forgive, good, and abounding in love!

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 26, 56, 86, 116, 146

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Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:

»  – Send an email to thank your recipient for their impact on your life as a writer/author/friend.

»$ – Call your out-of-town recipient or meet a local recipient for a cup of coffee or tea at a nearby location.

$ – Purchase an inexpensive gift for the author or writer that you selected as your gratitude recipient.

 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved

 

By Petals from the Basket | November 26, 2012 | Bible Reading, Ideas, Thirty Days of Gratitude |

Gratitude: Day 25

Day 25: Gratitude focus – A vocational Christian worker (teacher, pastor, church janitor) 

Quality, action, or name of God – Gracious

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“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Psalm 145:8)

As with each Sunday this month, instead of posting a devotional thought this morning, I will simply share the verse that contains the name of God for today. Please take time today to worship the Lord with others around the teaching of God’s Word.

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 25, 55, 85, 115, 145

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Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:

»  – Send an email to thank your recipient for their impact on your life through their ministry of vocational Christian work.

»$ – Take a card with you to church today to give to the person you chose to thank. Include a gift card for a local coffee house or favorite eating establishment.

$ – Purchase an inexpensive gift for the church employee that you selected as your gratitude recipient.

 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved

“A minister may fill his pews, his communion roll, the mouths of the public, but what that minister is on his knees in secret before God Almighty, that he is and no more.” (John Owen)

 

By Petals from the Basket | November 25, 2012 | Bible Reading, Events, Thirty Days of Gratitude |