“Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it.” George Bernard Shaw
And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:19-20
Repine: “to feel or express dejection or discontent” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Ever forget what the Lord is providing in your life? I know I sure do. If I could just realize everything that the Lord is providing I would be the most thankful person alive. But we forget that God provides. We fall into the trap of normality. That is, God’s provisions become a normal part of life and lose their divinity and miraculous nature. I was reading this morning about the when the Israelites grew tired of their mana. They cried out to Moses and to God for meat to eat. They forgot the miracle of mana and began seeing it as a normal everyday occurrence. They began to repine in the miraculous presence of God. So God answered their call. He gave them meat to eat, in the form of quail. That was a miracle too, but this time the miracle came with a curse. It came with the anger of God. The people who forgot God’s miraculous gifts and craved meat died from the very thing they desired so deeply. Have you ever been punished through the reception of what you desired. I know it’s cliche, but not everything we want is desirable. Some people want to sleep with more than one partner. Not going to turn out well, I promise. Some people desire to be “like the Jones’.” They’re gonna go broke. Some people want to do everything for themselves. Believing in the so called American virtue of “Self-Reliance.” Downfall is in sight. Self-Reliance will only take you as far as your abilities can provide. Trust me, that’s not very far. In no way am I saying you should rely on others to provide for you. In that respect I’m a big fan of self-reliance. My point is that when we forget about God, we start believing we’re responsible for the blessings in our lives. And sometimes we even start believing we’re a blessing to others as well. Only through the power and the grace of God can we be blessed or be a blessing to anything. So we go to church, we’re moved by a sermon or two. We call ourselves Christians. But do we live like it? Does church really make a difference? I’ve heard it over and over. “I tried church, it didn’t really work for me.” Is church working for you? Of course not. The “church” can’t do anything for you. Often it’s not the presence of God that works miracles, it’s a relationship with Him. Remember when JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country?” While God is providing for all your needs, He’s not interested in providing for all your desires. Not at least without a relationship. He wants you to be a part of spreading His blessing too. I think there are too many people who go to church to get blessed. If you’re that person I want to ask you a couple questions. What kind of car do you drive? What kind of house do you live in? Maybe they’re not the best, but they’re better than many. Church is a blessing for sure. We should all seek to be blessed in the presence of God. But we should also seek a relationship with Him. That’s what it means to be a Christian. Christianity is not a weekend thing, it’s a continual thing; like a marriage. The Christian life will come with hardships and struggles. It will come with sorrow and despair at times. But it is also rich in blessing. Every day God provides mana in your life. See it. Be thankful. I guarantee that thankfulness will lead to more blessings. That ability to see them will open our eyes to see more and more. And what’s more. The blessed life is a contagious life. Want to be a blessing? See your blessings. Be thankful for what you have. Contentment is the key to riches. God is able to bring the greatest joy to the darkest hour. I’m reminded of the that famous hymn Because He Lives by Bill and Gloria Gaither, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, He holds the future. And life is worth the living, just because He lives.” He lives, it’s a miracle! A miracle we live with daily. Isn’t that good news?!
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone in kindness today?
What did I learn today?
What am I thankful for?
Who did I love today?
What am I dreaming of?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading,
Jake