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“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
-James 1:17
Hello dear friends and neighbors,
November is a very special month for our community. If you're wondering why; first, let's consider: What do these things have in common? - "Lion Tamers. A gentle caress. Newborn animals with their eyes closed. God giving us the ability to love and be loved. Seeing your first falling star. A child saying grace. Three-point basketball shots made at the buzzer. Hole punches. The scriptural promise in 2 Corinthians 6:16 – “For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’
Did you make a good guess as to what all these things have in common? First and foremost; what they share in common is that they are things that we can be grateful for...AND there are a lot more of those kinds of things that we could add to the list. Someone once gifted me with the book "10,000 Things To Praise God For", by Thomas Nelson Publishers. That is where I found some of the items listed above. But if we just pay attention every single day to all that exists in creation, and all the moments, experiences, conversations, and happenings of daily life, the opportunity to feel gratitude abounds.
All too often, the thought of gratitude and thankfulness gets taken for granted. Some of this comes from living in a land of plenty, where we can grow accustomed to the goodness that surrounds us. But the author Diana Butler Bass in her book "Grateful", helps bring out a whole new meaning to the experience of being grateful. In quoting thoughts from Dietrich Bonhoefer, Bass writes: "Cheap gratitude plagues us. Our understanding of thanks is polluted by our toxic dissatisfactions as we praise God for material possessions instead of the good gifts of nature and neighbor."
Gratitude takes on a whole new meaning when discovered, expressed and shared in relationship with nature and the friends, family and neighbors who surround us. Through relationship connections of goodness and love, gratitude becomes a state of being where our hearts and minds are touched and inspired in such a way that it leaves a lasting imprint within us. What kinds of blessings of goodness have left a lasting impression in your mind and heart?
Let's consider also what the Biblical meaning of the word "Gratitude" tells us. The Hebrew term for gratitude is "hakarat ha'tov", which literally translates to: "recognizing the good." As we begin to "recognize the good" even in small ways, it will undoubtedly lead us to noticing the good in other areas of our lives. Gratitude affirms. It has a way of multiplying. As we profess gratitude, the more reasons we will find to be thankful.
Even and especially as believers, even in the darkest season of life, we can praise God for the gift of salvation, the hope of eternal life, His great and unending love, and His promise to never abandon us or reject us.
In the Bible, gratitude is a deep heart posture that recognizes God as the source of all good things, expressed through worship, trust, and thanking God in every situation.
When we see the goodness that is all around us; we realize how grateful we are that we have things to be grateful for. For this reason, the Webster City Ministerial Association is inviting our entire community to participate in an Attitude of Gratitude and Action that results from it throughout the entire month of November. It will kick off with a Community Thanksgiving Service on November 8 at 5:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Webster City.
Again, all are welcome! We will be truly grateful to see you there!
Blessings to you always!
Pastor Jean Morse, Trinity Lutheran, Webster City