So here's the truth. Because I tend toward a more melancholy & pessimistic personality, I struggle on this day annually. Today is a day of great rejoicing as we choose to deliberately take note of all the overflowing blessings in our lives. But for me, I find that - although I am deeply grateful - the external excitement or joy that I feel should accompany that gratefulness inside, is almost always lacking. So, I tend to dog myself a little bit (surprise surprise, I am being hard on myself again)! Thanks for always reminding me of this Fleener-face, seriously! Its just that I feel its one thing to say "thank you," and another to live it and be it. But here too, grace abounds. Because even if my external joy in gratitude seems lacking, the Lord knows my heart, that I am indeed thankful and I trust He honors that. So, I move one, but with a very thankful heart.
I thought after my little rant in my previous post, that I would follow it up with what I hope is a fairly balanced, over-arching list of the blessings the Lord has poured out in my life. I am listing them under the title of material, relational, and spiritual blessings (which progress from good blessings to BEST blessings ... of course all of them carrying a significant weight, some more than other though). The following is list is far short of all that the Lord has blessed me with in my life, but its an effort to express my gratitude.
MATERIAL
These are the most evident, visible, but the "least" of God's abundant blessings, not that any are "least."
- Food, more than enough
- Clothes, a surplus ... these first two are the promises of God's provision for us (Luke 12), meaning the rest are just above & beyond what He promises, an overflow of the richness of blessings made available to us in Christ...
- Shelter - a nice, spacious house with cushy furniture and beds, with bathrooms, with AC and heat, with a beautiful yard & pool, plus some
- Monetary blessings galore ... to the extent that I can afford to "play" and "experiment" growing tilapia and greens
- Fours cars, most of which are nice and run without question
- A paying and consistent job, week in and out
- Books and glorious study materials that provide enough reading/studying for a lifetime
- Gear, bikes and toys to play in the wondrous creation of God
- and dare I leave out HEALTH! ... but in my case this falls under all three categories!
- Comfort, ease, and a life (by worldly standards) which is care-free
RELATIONAL
This category provides a rich depth and endless store of wealth in the form of family and friends that will continue into eternity. Next to Christ, nothing matters more, oh how I want to live with that mindset at all times!
- A wonderful family! And where to begin? Parents who have loved, nurtured and fulfilled their charge to raise my brothers and I under the instruction of Christ! A present, patient, and selfless father who gives so well of himself and all his resources. a father who has slain himself as far as selfishness is concerned, because if even I needed an earthly figure to demonstrate Christ selfless love, my father has done so. For my mom who has literally lived out 2 Cor 12:15, having spent herself to see my brothers and I raised right! For a mother who is the fulfillment of a Proverbs 31 woman. A mother who is godly and deeply faithful as to be unmovable in Christ, so full of Him as to ooze with His presence! Two brothers who I know love me, who I can share life with no matter how far removed from each other we may be. For brothers who have been and are and will be my friends though each of us are so different from each other in many ways, which gives richness, joy, humor, encouragement & challenge.
- For Zeke, Lucy, Jweave, Jim & Tyler friends who I can tell anything, knowing the response will be, "So what, I love you." These friends are as brothers to me.
- For a network of friends and family all around who love me so well, stretched from Asia, Africa, Europe, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, California, Colorado, the entire Southeast US, Auburn and Birmingham, people who I share an eternal inheritance with, my brothers and sisters in Christ ... and those too who are yet to know Him as Savior ... O I plead, COME TO CHRIST!
- For a church home who cares that I become the best Gospel minister I can be in Christ, who will and is pouring their resources, time and talents into me. A church who speaks boldly without backing down a radical Gospel, the true Gospel!
- For friendships with missionaries all around the world, who i have the honor of keeping up with, praying for, and watching God use weak, leaky vessels to usher in His kingdom in Christ's name to the ends of the earth.
- For the godly men the Lord has placed in my life (Tom, Bill, Gary, Jim, Paul, George) to speak wisdom and hard truths into my life!
- For a netword of people who prayed hard for me nearly 7 years ago while I was in dire straights for new lungs, as death's breath stole my own! For those same friends and family who are still praying for me as my life develops farther into what God has called me to.
- For my donor family, who gave so selflessly of their family right around Christmas 2003, so that I could receive the gift of life at their expense. A life for a life.
SPIRITUAL
How can I begin to address the endless and eternal blessings, they are beyond description. But I will attempt to do some meager form of justice here!
- I feel as though the best, most appropriate and most simple way to say this, is as such, "In Christ" All and any blessing - especially SPIRITUAL - is "in Christ"
- Because Christ has humbled Himself to the point of death on the cross as a criminal, because He bore the crown of God's wrath and drank the cup, because He died after bearing the weight of God's punishment for man's disobedience and yet still rose again having fully paid the penalty, and thus by rising again defeating death once and for all, and all the dark evil powers of satan and hell ... because of this, and this alone, I am graced to be the beneficiary receiving grace upon grace and all spiritual blessings from God in Christ!
- Any blessing, any good thing, any bad thing, any good circumstance or bad situation it is all straight from God or allowed by Him in Christ! (James 1:17, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift if from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." and Roman 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.")
- Redemption is in Christ (Rom 3:24)
- In Christ we are made alive to God (Rom 6:11, 1 Cor 15:22) & given eternal life (Rom 6:23)
- In Christ, we are not condemned (Rom 8:1) & set free from the law of sin and death (8:2)
- In Christ, we can never be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:39)
- In Christ, we boast (Rom 15:17, 1 Cor 1:31)
- In Christ, we are loved and have love (1 Cor 16:24)
- In Christ, we are triumphant (2 Cor 2:14)
- In Christ, we are new creatures (2 Cor 5:17)
- In Christ, God has reconciled us to Himself (2 Cor 5:19)
- In Christ, we are justified by faith (Gal 2:16)
- In Christ, the blessing of Abraham came to the world (Gentiles) (Gal 3:14)
- In Christ, we are saints (Eph 1:1), we receive every spiritual blessing (v3)
- In Christ, we are seated with God in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6)
- In Christ, we know the surpassing riches of God's grace in kindness toward us
- In Christ, we are forgiven by God (Eph 4:23)
- In Christ, God meets all our needs (Phil 4:19)
- In Christ, we are made complete (Col 1:28)
- In Christ, we give thanks (1 Thess 5:18)
- In Christ, we will be with God in His eternal glory (1 Pt 5:10)
- I fear, although based entirely in Scripture, that my list falls far short of doing any form of justice, for how can I know the blessings of eternity while still in this mortal body? but oh how grateful I am for the sure and unwavering promises and blessings of God in Christ Jesus! Amen.
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