GRATEFUL DAYS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

ARE YOU SEEKING?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I am grateful.

The next couple DISPATCH’s are going to focus on one word.  Today’s is grateful.

Are you grateful? I couldn’t be more grateful this morning.  Not because I am on vacation, not because we are having “fun”, but just because of “being”.

All day long the family kept asking “what do want to do next dad?”  “Splash Mountain, go back and rest, Haunted Mansion?”  And all I could say is “I’m good with whatever.”  It wasn’t because I didn’t care or didn’t have a plan, I was being honest.  Whatever we were going to do was just fine. Why?

Because I am grateful just to be around for the questions.  I am grateful to be included in the conversations. 

God has blessed me with a great bunch of kids a wonderful wife and a new shot at life.  So what “I do” each day clearly isn’t as important to me as “being” around to do it.

Now before you roll your eyes or say “Come on Pastor”, every day isn’t vacation, you have bad days, all of life isn’t chocked full of blessing.  I have seen you down in the mouth or frustrated.”

Yes, I have “not so blessed” days too.

But that shouldn’t change my appreciation for life and GOD.

GOD still calls us to be grateful and appreciative of ALL things.  So why I do have my share of “less than blessed days”, they are fewer and farer between these days not because the days are better, but my attitude about them is better.

You see GOD didn’t guarantee that ALL days would be peaches and cream, but regardless we are to be “grateful”

Ecclesiastes 7:14

...on a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days So that we won't take anything for granted.

GOD is teaching me that I need to be grateful all times.  “don’t take anything for granted.” 

Expressing gratefulness changes our attitude about God, ourselves, and our situations.  

Gratitude opens our eyes to the wonder of the small things that GOD blesses us with daily.  Air, provision, community…you get the drift right?

Sure it is easy to be grateful when all is clicking along swimmingly and I will admit that the last couple of days it has been “easy to be grateful.”   But GOD calls us to gratitude and appreciation at all times.

Psalm 34:1

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

So just ask yourself this morning, am I grateful?  Am I appreciative of just “being” or does it all have to be going my way to be appreciative?

Psalm 107:42

If you are really wise, you'll think this over—

     it's time you appreciated God's deep love.

I love you all.

Have a blessed day.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney