“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.” (Micah 7:4-6)
There is so much hostility in the world we live in today … so much complaining … so much finger-pointing … so much dissatisfaction that it can be easy for anyone to find themselves in a discouraged or even a depressed state of mind. Turn the news on for almost any network and it can be really hard to feel great about life and living!
Birthdays can be that way! We get to the next candle for our cake and if we’re not careful, we can take it for granted, and maybe even at some benchmarks of life become somewhat depressed! “I can’t believe I am …” we exclaim with seeming unbelief!
This writer had one of those unexpected moments way back when he became 30 years old! There was a big party and celebration in my honor at my sister’s house and all the family was there with the cake, decorations, gifts, banners and ribbons and it was very festive. But I was sitting on the couch having a ‘pity party.’ It didn’t take long to be snapped back into reality when my lovely wife said, “Are you ready to go?” Since we had only just arrived a little earlier I asked, “Go where?” The response was like an unexpected bucket of cold water, “to the funeral home!” “The funeral home?” “Yes, you’re acting like you’re about ready to die, so let’s just go and make the arrangement!” As my grandkids would say, “OH SNAP!!!
Our God is so gracious, so mindful of and so merciful to every one of us who walk this earth. The Bible says He “… makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45). We could all be charged with being guilty when it comes to taking God’s mercy and compassion for granted!
We are studying in an adult Bible Class about Christian Evidences and seeking to understand better how the world views this world and how the Christian views this world. One of the predominant thoughts that comes from understanding this complex world and environment of ours is the orderliness of how it all works! With just a slight change in our world and universe, we could all be destroyed because life could not be sustained. But God in His mercy has put this world and universe in just the right mode to last until He is ready for it to end!
You see, we must not slip into the bad habit of being ungrateful, of taking life … even our birthdays for granted! Our gracious and loving Heavenly Father provides for us all that we need, not all that we want, to live! We like the rain until it gets to be too much for us … then we want it to be dry! We like the sun until it gets too hot … then we want it to be cooler. Then when it gets to cold, we want it warmer! Somehow we feel justified in our assumed ‘right’ to complain about it! Are you listening to these words? Couldn’t we all do a better job of learning how to be more grateful and happy … to simply learn to enjoy our lives today! Each new day is a gift from God and that’s why it is called the Present!
Stop yourself and just think for a few moments about all of the good things that are around us every single day … the sights and the sounds … the beauty and blessings … and say “Thank You” to the Lord! When we take the time to think about these truths … it should lead us to the doorstep of mercy … God’s mercy! God has and always will have our best interest in mind! Always!
So … the lesson for this one-year-older editor today is “Happy 68th B-day!” It’s a great day to be alive!
“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children”(Psalm 103:17)
Bill Fairchild, Jr.
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