THE ATTITUDE OF
GRATITUDE
I once read a book bearing the
title “An Attitude of Gratitude,” and
am borrowing it for this message. There
is a touch of genius in certain catch phrases in that they have a way of
lodging in our consciousness and come to mind long after we think they have
been forgotten. This is one of those, as
it must be twenty years since I scanned the book, which is mostly gone from
memory except that the obvious theme was an emphasis of the importance of
developing a grateful spirit, which at the same time is calculated to reduce
grumbling and complaint. A happy frame of mind comes from a grateful
spirit. A good way to start each
day, before speaking to anyone else, is to say aloud, “This
is the day the LORD has made: I will rejoice
and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
It makes very little difference who or where we are: all of His children are important to our
Heavenly Father. Our faithfulness to Him
should have priority, and having established that, our relationship to one
another will fall into place. “Let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works…exhorting one
another; and so much the more, as we see the day approaching” (Hebrews
Included in those two verses (mentioned above) are also the words so
commonly quoted, often to the neglect of the accompanying thought: “not
neglecting the assembling of yourselves together.” The latter is more of an aside than it is the
central point of emphasis. Beloved, it
is very possible for Believers to go to great lengths to emphasize the
importance of gathering together and at the same time largely overlook the
admonition given in the same breath to “consider
one another,” to “provoke (stimulate, challenge, arouse) one another unto love and good works,”
and to do so increasingly more earnestly as we approach the coming of
Christ. For the sake of faithfulness to
the text, it does not mention where the “assembling”
is to take place. One wonders how much
considering of one another and how much stimulation of one another in the direction
of love and good works might be done between saints if we were more aware of
the simple fact that there is no reason to wait to do this until we are inside
the walls of some specific edifice. The
ancients have a saying: “In every conversation, let there be some words
of divine wisdom.” How much
consideration do we give as to what kind of influence we are leaving behind as we converse daily
(casually) with fellow Christians, and for that matter, with everyone with whom
we come in contact for any reason whatsoever?
I have always enjoyed retelling the incident in the life of Lord Alfred
Tennyson, when as he was walking up the street with the morning paper tucked
under his arm; a neighbor in her garden called to him, “What’s the news, Mr.
Tennyson?” to which he promptly replied, “Good news! Christ died for our sins!” Speaking somewhat loosely, for the moment they
were “assembled together,” and Tennyson took the opportunity to use it
creatively to stimulate the faith of a
friend.
The next time someone quips, “Have a good day,” we might try
replying, “Thank you. I am sure it
will be, for every day is a good day with Jesus.” It doesn’t need to come off stilted or
stuffy, but there are multitudinous ways in which we can share a word of faith
or encouragement in honesty and sincerity, and with the same naturalness with
which we speak of other things. It would
be rather fun to make a special point to initiate our own little experiment in
seeing just how frequently we may find opportunities to share our faith and,
hopefully, lift another spirit by a word of wisdom spoken in sincerity. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of
gold in pictures of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). What a beautiful way to express
the riches awaiting those who share truly worthwhile, spiritually
significant thoughts by way of everyday conversation. There is no need to wait for the testimony
time in the worship service. Maybe the
person who would be most in need of being aroused and challenged will never be
in the worship service to hear the good word.
Jesus was a frequent attendant of the
Bless God for every church meeting place, but Beloved, God’s Cathedral
is the World! The Holy Spirit is longing
to touch lives on Tuesday morning at the bank as truly as on Sunday morning in
a chapel. It is wonderful to join the saints in worship in a congregation, but
we should be equally stimulated to feel and express a true spirit of praise at all times and in every place. Didn’t Jesus live like that? Didn’t David write the lovely songs that we
sing in church out on the mountainside, tending sheep? We may limit ourselves, but you will never
limit God to organized religion. He is everywhere, and if we will allow it, He
will break through at every point along the way, and He will gently but surely
let us know that there is some place in nearly everyone’s heart that is crying
out for His love. Be thankful; but do
remember to SHARE your blessings at every opportunity. Paint silver pictures with golden apples.
Our Heavenly
Father, we come to You with grateful hearts for Your many gifts and for all the
daily manifestations of Your loving care. We worship and love You, praying that
in some measure we may be given the grace and understanding to express
generosity to those around us, and to all those everywhere who in any way touch
our lives. May we give with a free hand
knowing that in the stream of divine provision there is always a never-failing
supply of all things good and in our giving, let forgiveness be the crowning
gift your children may all give to each other so that we may live in the
freedom that is our heritage in Christ. Amen
Frances Roberts
“The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Cor. 13:14
The prisoner, the
sick person, the Christian in exile sees in the companionship of a fellow
Christian a physical sign of the gracious presence of God. Visitor and visited in loneliness recognize
in each other the Christ who is present; they receive and meet each other as
one meets the Lord, in reverence, in humility, and joy. They receive each other’s benedictions as the
benediction of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But if there is so much blessing and joy even in a single encounter of
brother with brother, how inexhaustible are the riches that open up for those
who by God’s will are privileged to live in the daily fellowship of life with
other Christians!
It is true, of
course, that what is an unspeakable gift of God for the lonely individual is
easily disregarded and trodden under foot by those who have the gift every
day. It is easily forgotten that the
fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the
Dietrich Bonhoeffer