Saturday, October 16, 2010

Giving Thanks in Gatlinburg


Gatlinburg Department of Tourism Photo
Posted by Hello

It’s nice to get away from our daily routine. In autumn, a drive through the mountains enjoying the spectacular range of color the Lord has created can be restorative.

Recently I made a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee with family. The weather cooperated with temperatures in the seventies and a slight breeze. Just right.

It looked as if everyone who goes to Gatlinburg came that weekend. You couldn’t move your car down the main street more than a few feet at a time, or edge more than two feet through a store without running into someone or something- usually someone’s stroller. Ouch!

To add insult to the injury (from the strollers!) we were charged double the going rate for our motel simply because of the demand. We checked in and after shopping, we came back to find we had no place to park.

Although I remained thankful the Lord gave us a safe trip and the means to go, what was supposed to be relaxing became an exercise in patience. It would have been easy to forget about thankfulness and become as impatient and rude as some of the travelers.

Thankfulness is an attitude. The American Heritage Dictionary says thankfulness is “to be aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful and to be expressive of gratitude: a thankful smile.” Isn’t it better to smile at someone than frown? It is better to speak kinds words than lash out in anger.

When we have to wait in line to pay for something, rather than be impatient, why not use that time to thank God for our money? When we have to wait a whopping twenty minutes to be seated in a restaurant, let’s breathe a prayer of thanks that God provides us with another meal. We are so blessed we forget there are millions of people in the world who have no idea where their next meal will come from.

Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”

We sing a chorus, ‘Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart’. When our hearts are grateful, we make up our minds to be thankful- no matter what the circumstances. As Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

I’m thankful my heels have healed up. Those strollers hurt!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the beauty of this world, and for Your many blessings. I pray I'll be grateful in spite of and in the midst of life's circumstances. You're so good to me. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

"Giving Thanks in Gatlinburg" won third place in a writing contest sponsored by AFFA Communications. Thank-you!
*Gatlinburg Department of Tourism Photo
**Originally posted November 19, 2004

Thursday, October 14, 2010

No "Minor" Rescue

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ" – 2 Corinthians 5:21 nlt

Every Thursday on my Facebook Fan Page, I post a 'Thursday Thanks.' Today I am rejoicing that rescuers saved 33 miners trapped for 69 days one-half mile down into the earth in Chile. The men are being called national heroes.

While I thank God for the miners' safety, I keep thinking about the drilling experts at Center Rock, Inc. who worked day and night to make an escape for those men – and way ahead of schedule, too.

But most of all, I cannot stop thinking about the first rescuer, Manuel Alejandro González Pavez, who got into a 900-pound capsule, not knowing for sure that it would work properly, and descended into that cave. The trapped men never made the choice to be there. Manuel did. A hero indeed.

And I can't help but think of Someone else who descended to earth to save me. Jesus Christ did not descend a half mile, but descended from Heaven, laid down His life on the cross, died and rose again to rescue me from the penalty of sin. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, "So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:21). Sin brought death and condemnation, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God.

The heroic rescue of the miners was broadcast live and watched by millions around the world. Jesus spoke of a day when He will return. He said, "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:24-26). John says in the first book of Revelation that every eye shall see Him.

I watched each miner come to the surface to reunite with family and friends. Tears of joy streamed down faces as each one thanked his rescuers. I, too, have been rescued. I can hardly wait to see Jesus face to face to thank Him for saving me!

Prayer: Thank you, God, for your Love and grace and that You view me as worthy to redeem. Thank You that Jesus came to rescue me. I praise you for my salvation!
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