There is Much to Be Grateful For…

Yesterday as I traveled with my children and grands to the beach for an outing I thought of all the things we have to be grateful for. Looking out at Lake Michigan is a thing of beauty. It may not be as vast as the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, but it’s reflection of blue against the skyline is nonetheless a wonder. As I thought about that, it came to me that because the small thing we are given isn’t as big as the large thing that we want, it often becomes insignificant to us:

I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. Romans 12:3 (MSG)

It is easy to get it twisted – we are not the benefactor in our lives – God is. Whether by little or by much, His provision is always something to be grateful for. It is His breath we breathe, it is His heart that bleeds for us mercy and grace. It is His everlasting love for us that enables us to go on day after day in spite of the things we do, that fall so short of His glory.

In addition to the many blessings He bestows on us, He has given us such beauty to behold. The vast stillness of the waters has already been mentioned, but what about the flowering bushes and the elegant trees? What about the sweet song of the birds going about their way – or the brilliance of a sunny day?

There is no doubt we have to admit that there is much sorrow and suffering in our world. Yet, there is also much to be grateful for, and today I choose to concentrate on that.

Maria