"Happy Thanksgiving!"
I think five or six of my friends texted me throughout the day just to say that today. Made me feel special that people were thinking of me even on their vacations. "Happy Thanksgiving." And it was, I guess. I enjoyed a lot of (too much) good food. Played football with my family. Laughed at the antics of my nieces and nephews, and just relaxed. Isn't that happy? Yeah, sure, but fulfilling? Satisfying?
Funny (actually sad): I gorged myself on a lavish lunch with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, all the dessert I couldn't fit into my stomach . . . but I continued to snack on those chocolate covered raisins all day. Even though I wasn't hungry! Why? Because, though my stomach was full, I wasn't satisfied. Happy Thanksgiving--sure, but there was something terrifyingly missing. Adriana got it right. She sent me this verse:
"Come into His presence with singing and into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless His name, for His mercy and love are everlasting, and His truth endures forever!"
Doesn't say anything about turkey or family or football. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for food, family, and fun, but as I experienced today, that thankfulness is pretty superficial, surface stuff. I can fill up my belly and score touchdowns on my older brother and say, "Thanks, God!" for all of that but if that's it . . . ? It's like standing on a mountain peak in Colorado at night with an indescribable, celestial quilt of stars and planets and moons filling a vast and trackless sky above my head, while I stare down at my little flashlight bulb for hours--thanking God for lightbulbs. Lightbulbs are pretty cool, but seriously . . . I gaze at the gift and miss the GLORY.
Adri sent me this verse at lunch time but I was too distracted and still missed it. Til now. What was the Psalmist thankful for? For mercy and love and truth that never ends, never runs out, and can never be outlived. For these beautiful, life-giving glories of God. These are the things that satisfy. Mercy, Love, and Truth, forever and ever--this is the GLORY of God.
I'm thankful for my family. But one day I'll leave them all to go to a land across the sea--for this God of mercy, love and truth is so much better than my family. I'm thankful for food. But one day I'll be glad to leave America, where I would never have to worry about my next meal, to go to a land where people die of starvation--every day--and God's provision will truly be a constant miracle of mercy. I'm thankful for football (and other sports). But I will gladly give up such frivolities for a life of hardship that is envigorated and empassioned by the joy of seeing the Kingdom of God wage unstoppable war against the kingdom of Satan in dark places using the weapons of mercy, love, and truth.
Yeah, it was a "Happy Thanksgiving." And I'm thankful for the things that brought that happiness. But, God, I beg You: give me the heart of this Psalmist; for he was not merely happy--he was satisfied!
I think five or six of my friends texted me throughout the day just to say that today. Made me feel special that people were thinking of me even on their vacations. "Happy Thanksgiving." And it was, I guess. I enjoyed a lot of (too much) good food. Played football with my family. Laughed at the antics of my nieces and nephews, and just relaxed. Isn't that happy? Yeah, sure, but fulfilling? Satisfying?
Funny (actually sad): I gorged myself on a lavish lunch with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, all the dessert I couldn't fit into my stomach . . . but I continued to snack on those chocolate covered raisins all day. Even though I wasn't hungry! Why? Because, though my stomach was full, I wasn't satisfied. Happy Thanksgiving--sure, but there was something terrifyingly missing. Adriana got it right. She sent me this verse:
"Come into His presence with singing and into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless His name, for His mercy and love are everlasting, and His truth endures forever!"
Doesn't say anything about turkey or family or football. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for food, family, and fun, but as I experienced today, that thankfulness is pretty superficial, surface stuff. I can fill up my belly and score touchdowns on my older brother and say, "Thanks, God!" for all of that but if that's it . . . ? It's like standing on a mountain peak in Colorado at night with an indescribable, celestial quilt of stars and planets and moons filling a vast and trackless sky above my head, while I stare down at my little flashlight bulb for hours--thanking God for lightbulbs. Lightbulbs are pretty cool, but seriously . . . I gaze at the gift and miss the GLORY.
Adri sent me this verse at lunch time but I was too distracted and still missed it. Til now. What was the Psalmist thankful for? For mercy and love and truth that never ends, never runs out, and can never be outlived. For these beautiful, life-giving glories of God. These are the things that satisfy. Mercy, Love, and Truth, forever and ever--this is the GLORY of God.
I'm thankful for my family. But one day I'll leave them all to go to a land across the sea--for this God of mercy, love and truth is so much better than my family. I'm thankful for food. But one day I'll be glad to leave America, where I would never have to worry about my next meal, to go to a land where people die of starvation--every day--and God's provision will truly be a constant miracle of mercy. I'm thankful for football (and other sports). But I will gladly give up such frivolities for a life of hardship that is envigorated and empassioned by the joy of seeing the Kingdom of God wage unstoppable war against the kingdom of Satan in dark places using the weapons of mercy, love, and truth.
Yeah, it was a "Happy Thanksgiving." And I'm thankful for the things that brought that happiness. But, God, I beg You: give me the heart of this Psalmist; for he was not merely happy--he was satisfied!
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