BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV

As we come to another Thanksgiving Day, we are reminded of the fact that we have much for which we can be thankful. An older minister at my Rotary Club this week shared about his memories of the depression that resulted in extended family all occupying the same house.

At times our gratitude is for that which we have “not” experienced as much as for what we do have. “But for the grace of God“, many of us could have a life trajectory and experience that placed us in a circumstance far from where we are. So, as we thank the Lord for what we do have and what have experienced we can be reminded that may stand in sharp contrast to some we know and what could have been our “lot in life.”

Another reason for thanksgiving is when we reflect or respond to that which has come to us through the generosity and goodness of others. As Paul writes to the Corinthians about helping poor believers in Jerusalem, he tells them that “God will take care of them and continue to allow them to be generous and that those who receive their support will give thanksgiving to God.”

Often it can be easy to only look at others for they have done through acts of kindness or generosity, however we must remember that “every good and perfect gift is from above.” (James 1:17) As we express thankfulness “for” others, we should also be thankful “to” God.

As I reflect back on five years ago as I experienced my health crisis. I am reminded of the ways the Lord used so many people to come alongside of Debbie and myself to help in what seems to be innumerable ways. We will always be thankful for those people and to the Lord for showing us His love and provision through others.

But thankfulness can be challenging to maintain. At times the miracles of the past become faint or forgotten memories. The busyness and the mundane of life can crowd out time to stop and reflect and to be thankful. It is interesting how often “thanksgiving and prayer” and “thanksgiving and worship” are referenced in scripture. Thanksgiving is possible when we stop, reflect and remember what the Lord has done and is doing for us even in small ways and regardless of our circumstances.

As a pastor I always have found it challenging to find something “fresh” to share about thanksgiving and its importance. I found something that got my attention. It comes from “The Rational Bible” Dennis Prager’s commentary on the Book of Exodus. Dennis Prager is a Jew who is a scholar of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and is a cultural and political commentator as well.

He writes these words, “In many ways, gratitude is the most important of all the good character traits. It is the most indispensable trait to both happiness and goodness. One can neither be a happy person nor a good person without gratitude. The less gratitude one has the more one sees oneself as a victim, and nothing is more likely to produce a bad person or a bad group than defining oneself or one’s group as a victim….As for happiness, if you think of all the people you know, you will not be able to name one who is ungrateful and happy. The two are mutually exclusive.”  ( Prager, D. 2018. “The Rational Bible-Exodus: God, Slavery and Freedom”  [pg 440] Washington, D.C., Regency Faith)

To experience happiness, to possess goodness, be thankful….and eat turkey!

60th bday at NCRH

I began this week with my 65th birthday. Christian came up north to meet me

at Scheel’s Sporting Goods

for lunch and a tour of the new Scheels Sporting Goods store in Loveland/Johnstown. It was a better day than five years ago when I marked my 60th birthday just to the east of where we were in Northern Colorado Rehabilitation hospital.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “Now I am on my way to Spain, so I hope to see you when I come your way. After I have enjoyed your company for a while, I hope that you will support my trip to Spain. Right now I’m going to Jerusalem to bring help to the Christians there.” Romans 15:24,25 GW 

Solomon observed in his wisdom, “The heart of man plans his way,  but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 ESV) We can readily observe that life is filled with uncertainties. At times the “best laid plans” just don’t work out the “best” way we have in mind.

The above verses reveal Paul’s plans for what he expected to take place next in his ministry. We see in 2 Corinthians Paul’s instructions to the believers about giving financially to support the suffering Christians in Jerusalem. He is now writing to the Roman Christians and tells them of his desire to come and visit them in person. He tells them that he will go to Jerusalem to take the gifts from those in Macedonia believers there. He then had plans to travel to Spain and to stop in Rome on his way.

As we read in the Book of Acts, all did go the way Paul had planned. “…Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the temple courtyard. They stirred up the whole crowd and grabbed Paul. Then they began shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere to turn against the Jewish people, Moses’ Teachings, and this temple.” (Acts 21:27,28 NIV)

A mob erupted resulting in Paul’s arrest. This resulted in over two years of trial, imprisonment and efforts to avoid the plans and tactics of his accusers. Oddly, Paul did end up in Rome. But it was under house arrest. It doesn’t appear he ever made it to Spain as he planned. Yet in it all we see the Lord working. It may have been Paul’s “Plan B” but seemed to be the Lord’s, “Plan A.”

Seven letters we have in the New Testament were written while Paul was in prison. His arrest allowed him to present the gospel and his testimony before the masses in Jerusalem and before religious and political leaders of the day. When Paul (then Saul of Tarsus) encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, the Lord spoke to Ananias these words: “I’ve chosen this man to bring my name to nations, to kings, and to the people of Israel. I’ll show him how much he has to suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:15-16 NIV)

I think of the perspective Job had of his life. “I thought, ‘Surely I will die surrounded by my family after a long, good life.” (Job 29:18 NLT) Suffering was not in Job’s plans, just as it is not in any of our plans. We anticipate a smooth road through life enjoying the blessings of the Lord.

However, we certainly are made aware of the uncertainties of life and how that our plans and our trajectory in life can change in a moment. There were way too many times during my ministry when a church member was in a Sunday service and before the week was over, I was standing at their grave, the marking conclusion of their life on earth.

I recall when I was battling illness less than a month after moving to Fort Collins. Even though I was in the hospital, I was still telling Debbie that we might be able to keep our plans for the upcoming weekend. Little did I know that what I thought might be a few days, would turn into several months and a journey that would change the trajectory of my life.

It seems the words of the Apostle James ring true. “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 NIV)

It is important that was not live our lives in fear of the unexpected. We can live life with confidence, purpose and a commitment to pursue all that is in our hearts. Yet we must hold our plans and life loosely. We must know that the Lord is with us regardless of what takes place. He will see us through and He will use all of our experiences to build our trust and confidence in Him and to place our focus on that which is eternal.

As I write, I am just few days out of my second spinal injection to address some pain that I have been experiencing in my back due to a herniated disc. It has brought some relief while I am still experiencing episodes of some significant discomfort. It is snowing lightly here in Fort Collins and we have started to decorate for the upcoming Christmas season. Time moves along as we travel this journey of life.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “Therefore everyone was condemned through one failure, and everyone received God’s life-giving approval through one verdict. Clearly, through one person’s disobedience humanity became sinful, and through one person’s obedience humanity will receive God’s approval.” Romans 5:18,19 GW

Tomorrow is my 65th birthday. Somewhat of a marker of growing older in our American culture. Although with people living longer it has been said that, “50 (or is it 60?) is the new 40.” I find as I grow older and in light of my health crisis five years ago, my sense of mortality is heightened.

I believe had my life progressed as I was living it, I would have “blown through” this marker without much notice. (Other than the requirement to sign up for Medicare, in order to avoid a penalty of course.)

I have also been reading the book, Being Mortal. This is a fascinating book about medicine, life and mortality written by a doctor/surgeon. His description of aging process is quite depressing to be honest. But at the heart is something that we can observe in times of illness as well as in life. People do what they can to ignore or delay the inevitable. Death. Death in this life is an enemy.

At the same time we see adds and initiatives aimed at living longer, healthier lives. While much of this can be positive some of it seems to border on the paranoid. I believe the reason is that we were created for life. That was God’s intent for the first humans in God’s created order. However, Adam and Eve messed up. Not only for themselves but for all mankind.

Paul offers this explanation, “Sin came into the world through one person [Adam], and death came through sin.” (Romans 5:12 GW) Sin is the cancer that brings death to every person. To reverse the death sentence one must find a remedy for the cause of death – sin. Paul declares, “All have sinned…” (Romans 3:23) This is simply a New Testament affirmation of the Old Testament declarations,  “…there is none who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:3) “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way…” (Isaiah 53:6)

But through Christ (whom Paul refers to as the “second Adam”) true life, eternal life is available to all. Not eternal life in this natural world, but eternal life in the world to come and that which is unseen. To the Corinthians Paul says, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive….“The first man Adam became a living being” ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:22,45)

In the contrast between Adam and Christ, we see Paul stating that Christ’s gift overcomes Adam faults. There is no comparison between God’s gift and Adam’s failure…the gift given through the kindness of one person, Jesus Christ, have been showered on humanity.”  (Romans 5:15, GW)

Then we see that Christ’s gift of grace overcomes our sin and the penalty of death. “There is also no comparison between God’s gift and the one who sinned.…[it is] certain that those who receive God’s overflowing kindness and the gift of his approval will rule in life because of one person, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17 GW)

Christ and His grace which results in the forgiveness of sin overcomes sinful actions and a sinful nature. Christ’s gift has no comparison and overcomes death and promises life forevermore.

We can’t stop the aging process. We can’t stop the impacts of infirmity and disease, but we can be victorious over death.

“As sin ruled by bringing death, God’s kindness would rule by bringing us his approval. This results in our living forever because of Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:21 GW)

That is why Paul pronounces this victorious declaration,