Total Gratitude

Total Gratitude

I often wonder why we -- who live in the United Sates of America -- & who have life so good -- seem to be so discontent at the same time. How can we have so much of this life's goods & pleasures -- freedoms & privileges -- resources & comforts -- yet be so miserable? Perhaps -- perhaps we have too much!

I am often overwhelmed by the choices I have in a store. I don't just have peanut butter available to me -- I have smooth peanut butter -- chunky peanut butter -- extra-chunky peanut butter -- processed or natural peanut butter -- peanut butter with jelly already in it so I don't have to open another jar -- Jif Peanut Butter -- Peter Pan Peanut Butter -- Smucker's Peanut Butter -- & a hundred more brands -- plus the jars come in several sizes -- or a 5 pound bucket. I can buy peanut butter in the middle of a chocolate cup -- or peanut butter in candy shells. -- I can get peanut butter in cookies or pies. Type in 'peanut butter' on a Google search & you will get 3,670,000 hits.

So many choices -- so many privileges -- so much abundance -- & so much unhappiness. It has to point to the core problems in American culture: -- We are out of touch with God -- out of touch with life -- & we live only for the present with no thought of eternity!

We keep wanting this life to bring us satisfaction in itself.

We keep wanting it all -- & wanting it now!

We want to believe in God without having a relationship with God -- or being accountable to God -- & without being responsible for our behavior.

We keep wanting this world to be perfect -- fulfilling us -- & making us happy.

We keep wanting this world to be heaven without the hope of the real heaven. -- No wonder we are in a spiral of misery!

Meanwhile the advertisements grind on -- promising us that we will attract the opposite sex if we only have the right car -- or the right clothes. We will find fulfillment by buying the latest, greatest thing they are offering. Life will be good for me if only I can get a new style cell phone with wireless technology & built-in camera -- video cam -- internet capability -- remote headset -- iTunes, etc. I am sure life would improve for me if I could afford the latest ipod. The newest diet will solve our problems with self-esteem. Maybe we will win the lottery -- & get rich quick -- & our lives will improve. More education will get us further -- & give us a better career. My friends -- we are in a spin cycle of false hope & unhappiness -- & there doesn't seem to be a way out.

There is a way out -- but the problem is -- you have to give up your false hopes in order to find real hope! This real hope is something we can discover in the words of Psalm 100. Psalm 100 is a Psalm to memorize! -- We ought to inwardly & totally digest it. -- It is a wonderful song of praise & thanksgiving. Most of us have heard at least a portion of this psalm -- but does it really swell up from within us?

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: -- come before His presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord He is God:

it is He that hath made us, & not we ourselves;

we are His people, & the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, & into His courts with praise;

be thankful unto Him, & bless His name.

For the Lord is good; -- His mercy is everlasting; & His truth endureth to all generations. -- (Psalm 100 KJV)

The life of Johnny Cash was featured last year in the film entitled -- Walk the Line. Near the beginning of the film a twelve-year-old Johnny Cash is talking with his older brother, Jack, whom he greatly admires. Johnny asks how Jack is able to remember so many of the stories in the Bible. -- Jack, who wants to be a preacher, says: "You can't help people unless you can tell'em the right stories." -- And that is true! Our present day culture is telling us all the wrong stories which has led us to false hope -- dysfunction & despair. The Bible -- on the other hand -- tells us the right stories -- that leads us to life & peace.

From the wonderful stories of the Bible -- if life is going to be meaningful -- we discover the necessity of sincere gratitude! We read about Job -- who was being tempted to curse God & give up -- because of the suffering in his life -- but Job is a man who continues to trust God with his life & with his future. -- That is true gratitude! We read about King David who -- faced with a mountain of problems in trying to lead his nation -- continues to look to God -- & writes a whole book of songs praising God. We read about Paul being persecuted, beaten, jailed & left for dead -- who could say: -- "Praise be to the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ -- who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). In spite of all his difficulties -- Paul could say: -- "We are (hard) pressed on every side by troubles -- but we are not crushed & broken. -- We are perplexed -- but we don't give up & quit. -- We are hunted down -- but God never abandons us. -- We get knocked down -- but we get up again & keep going" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT).

There are three simple messages I believe the Bible is telling us about life -- & those lessons can be found in this Psalm 100.

1. You cannot be grateful until you believe with all your heart that God is good!

The Psalmist wrote in 100:5 -- "For the Lord is good."

In the NLT -- that verse reads: "For the Lord is good. -- His unfailing love continues forever -- & His faithfulness continues to each generation." God is good all the time! -- All the time, God is good!

My friends -- you can't have a grateful heart & think of God as a cosmic sadist -- who enjoys being cruel. The starting place of gratitude is believing God is good. If you don't believe that -- then life will be chaotic & confused -- & life will seem hopelessly evil & out of control!

At the center of our faith is the belief that there is a Personal God at the heart of the Universe Who loves the world -- & Who loves us! It is our sincere belief that He is in control; -- & He still is in spite of all that is happening in the world; -- & that helps us stay in control. It is in trusting in His heart that we are calmed in the calamities of life. It is in believing that He has our best in mind that we are able to walk with quiet assurance through life.

Oh, pity those who scoff at the idea of God -- & who believe that there is no Creator -- no Designer of life -- no Author of history -- no purpose to any of this. To live without faith in a God Who is good -- makes life seem depressing -- with no direction & futile! A man without faith has a greater handicap than a man without feet! Douglas Coupland wrote a book titled Girlfriend in a Coma. In the book -- a young woman comes out of a coma that she has been in since '79 -- & it is now the '90s. After she has been out of the coma for quite awhile -- someone asks about her impressions of people who live in the '90s. She says: -- "A lack. -- A lack of convictions, of beliefs, of wisdom, or even of good old badness. -- It's so sad." But my friends -- what can you expect from people who have crammed their lives with everything but God?

Fortunately -- the Bible tells another story!

It is a story about a God Who created a world -- & called it "good." It tells about a God Who says He loves the world & has loved its people into existence. It says that God came to redeem people even if it meant dying for them. It claims God came to show us that death has no power over us -- & that this world is not all there is. It tells us that history is headed somewhere -- & that there is a divine purpose to our lives -- &to the world itself. The Bible's message is that there can even be meaning in suffering. The problem is that many people -- even those claiming to be Christians -- have somehow not gotten the message!

Corrie Ten Boom -- who was a survivor of the holocaust -- talks about the goodness of God even in the terrible circumstances of a German prison camp. She writes in her book: -- "Often I have heard people say, 'How good God is! -- We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic -- & look at the lovely weather!' -- Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark -- & there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. 'No, Corrie,' -- said Betsie -- 'He has not forgotten us. -- Remember His Word: -- "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him."'" Corrie Ten Boom concludes: -- "There is an ocean of God's love available -- there is plenty for everyone. -- May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love -- whatever the circumstances."

The Psalmist tells us: -- "Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. -- Give thanks to Him & bless His name" (100:4 NLT). My friends -- you cannot be grateful until you believe with all your heart that God is good!

2. You cannot be grateful until you believe with all your heart that life is good!

Even some Christians I know major on how terrible the world is. There is so much sin & evil -- & the idea is that the world is so horrible that we just can't wait until Jesus comes again.

Somehow in all that -- we have missed out on what the Psalmist under-stood: -- that even life is good -- & God's wish is that we would revel in it. Life is not to be endured -- it is meant to be enjoyed! What's the purpose in making a good world if no one is going to enjoy it? How can we hate the world when God loves the world?

At the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. -- there is a large wooden altar from a Jewish synagogue. It was vandalized by Nazi soldiers -- who had come to remove all Jews from that city. -- The soldiers had attempted to destroy the altar. You can still see the marks of their axes -- but still readable across the altar is a single phrase of Hebrew carved deeply into the wood. Although the axes of man attempted to delete the words -- the phrase still reads: -- "Know before Whom you stand."

The problem with our unbelieving world is that we do not know before whom we stand -- therefore we do not understand the value & purpose of life. -- We cannot stand at all! Is it any wonder that we have such a low view of the world & life itself? It is not a surprise that we have missed the clues about how good & wonderful life is -- since we have tried to erase the fact that we are to live before God in this life.

Life is good -- even when there are difficulties & sufferings. The Psalmist knew God -- & therefore he understood the world -- & what life is to be like in the world. The Psalmist says -- as translated in the NIV -- in the first three verses: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; -- come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. -- It is He who made us -- & we are His; we are His people -- the sheep of H is pasture (Psalm 100:1-3). Too often we are afraid of life. -- But how can we be afraid when Jesus said: -- "I have told you these things -- so that in me you may have peace. -- In this world you will have trouble. -- But take heart! (Be of good cheer!) -- I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Erwin McManus tells us about an experience with his son who had become afraid. He writes: -- "One summer Aaron went to a youth camp. -- He was just a little guy -- & I was kind of glad because it was a church camp. -- I figured he wasn't going to hear all those ghost stories -- because ghost stories can really cause a kid to have nightmares. But unfortunately -- since it was a Christian camp -- & they didn't tell ghost stories -- because we don't believe in ghosts -- they told demon & Satan stories instead. -- And so when Aaron got home -- he was terrified." "Dad, don't turn off the light!" -- he said before going to bed. "No, Daddy, could you stay here with me? -- Daddy, I'm afraid. -- They told all these stories about demons." Erwin wanted to say to his little boy -- "They're not real." -- but demons are real. Little Aaron continues: -- "Daddy, Daddy, would you pray for me that I would be safe?" The father could feel it; -- he could feel warm-blanket Christianity beginning to wrap around him -- a life of safety, safety, safety. So he said to his son -- "Aaron, I will not pray for you to be safe. -- But I will pray that God will make you strong -- so strong that demons will flee when you enter the room." Aaron looks into the eyes of his father & says: -- "All right. -- But pray I will be really, really strong, Daddy."

My friends -- we can be afraid of life & retreat from it -- or we can become strong & face life with boldness! But you can only do that if you believe God has created a good world!

3. You cannot be grateful until you believe with all your heart that there will be a day of Restoration!

In other words -- you have to know that there is a God shaped future for you -- & for the world. All the suffering -- all the injustices -- all the pain of life -- will one day be redeemed!

As the Bible says -- "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. -- There will be no more death or mourning -- or crying -- or pain -- for the old order of things has passed away. -- He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'" (Revelation 21:4-5). This is what Isaiah prophesied when he spoke for God saying: -- "Behold I will create new heavens & a new earth. -- The former things will not be remembered -- nor will they come to mind" (Isaiah 65:17).

I used to think people complained because they had a lot of problems. But I have come to believe that people have problems because they complain! Complaining doesn't change anything -- or make our situation better. Complaining amplifies frustration -- spreads discontent & discord. Complaining makes us miserable -- not to mention everyone around us. Complaining is a failure to realize that God is not through with the world! God is up to something wonderful! -- He will redeem the world in the end! He will restore all things! -- He will produce "a mighty flood of justice -- a river of righteous living that will never run dry" (Amos 5:24 NLT).

The innocence of the world will be restored -- & goodness will be renewed. -- My friends -- God is up to something wonderful -- & He invites us to be a part of it! The world is not just going around in circles -- it is going in a definite direction! -- God will prevail over all human sin & arrogance! He will make a new heaven & a new earth! With the blast of one word from His mouth -- all violence & quarreling will cease -- & God will usher in His unshakeable Kingdom that will never end! -- God is about saving the world -- not destroying the world.

The question is not about why this thing -- or that thing -- is taking place in your life -- but what is God doing in the world -- & where is He taking it! The answer is that He is taking it to a glorious end! If you read the book of Revelation -- you will realize that the world does not end with judgment, punishment & destruction -- rather it ends with triumph, blessing & the renewal of all things!

In her book Mystery on the Desert -- Maria Reiche describes a series of strange lines made by the ancient Nazea people in the plains of Peru -- perhaps as early as 200 years before the time of Christ. The area where the lines are -- covers over 37 miles. It is impossible to make out what these line drawings are from the ground -- & people at one time assumed they were irrigation ditches. No one really knew what they were until 1939 -- when Dr. Paul Kosok of Long Island University -- studied them by flying over them in an airplane. There is an assortment of perfectly straight lines -- many running parallel -- others intersecting -- forming a grand geometric form. In & around the lines there are also strange symbols -- & pictures of 70 animal & plant figures -- that include a spider, hummingbird, monkey -- & even a 1,000-foot-long pelican. -- One geometric figure goes in a straight line for nine miles across the plain. All of them are etched on a giant scale that can only be appreciated from the sky. When viewed from high in the air -- these seemingly random lines form enormous drawings of art. -- They have meaning!

We often assume that since we cannot see the purpose of something from our perspective -- that there is no purpose -- no reason or rhyme to what we are facing. But from God's perspective -- it makes perfect sense! There is not only order & design to what He is doing -- it is a work of art! It does not matter if you are too small to see the whole masterpiece -- it is still there. -- And one day -- looking from heaven above -- the mystery of what God has been doing will be clear to us. What looked like a ditch to us will be seen as a part of God's design that has been stretched out over God's Universe.

Conclusion: -- All the beauty & purpose of what God has done will make us say with the Psalmist: -- "For the Lord is good & His love endures forever; -- His faithfulness continues through all generations" (100:5 NIV).

To develop a truly grateful heart -- believe with all your heart that God is good; -- believe with all your heart that life is good; -- & believe with all your heart that there will be a day of restoration!

There was once a Lutheran pastor in York County, PA -- I am told, who chose these words for his grave marker: -- "Thank You, God, for Everything." In life -- as well as in death -- he wanted to be thought of as grateful person! -- How will you be remembered?

Pastor Lyle Pettit -- Wynne Chapel -- Cochise, AZ