Sunday, April 5, 2009

Gratitude-RGE

This weekend was marked with the celebration of Palm Sunday, when believers around the world are reminded of Jesus entry into Jerusalem offering himself as the King of Israel. Knowing this King is the greatest of all blessings and calls for the highest of praise to our King. In the midst of the praise and thanksgiving, I was reminded of three additional blessings. They were unexpected, for my mind was preoccupied by what are more noble reasons to rejoice; salvation, redemption, the atonement, justification, and the Lordship of Christ. Yet, I felt overwhelmed with thanksgiving at three amazing blessings.

1. Rain - The simple fact that rain falls from the sky on the just and the unjust speaks of the incredible grace of God to us all. Normally, blue skies and the warmth of the summer sun are my preferences. But without the rain, too much of a good thing can bring drought and famine. Rain changes that and brings life and vitality to the ground. I am grateful for rain.

2. Grass - I don't like to mow it, but someone must do the job. Grass demands the opportunity of pushing its way up through the earth. Gravel, pavement, just about anything eventually gives way to the buried seed as it reaches toward the sky. Simple yet profound, grass may be pretty as a well manicured lawn, but it serves a greater purpose. In fact, grass is a primary beginning link in the food chain. Without grass, the animal life on this planet would not last long. It provides a basic necessity for the existence of so much of life.

3. Earthworms - These little creatures are usually unseen, but they provide an amazingly indispensable service in softening the earth by tunneling under the surface. Some use worms to catch fish. They are also beneficial for the ground's nutrient value through their digestive processes. Unseen, unnoticed, and usually thought of as unimportant, they simply do what they do.

Gratitude springs from an awareness of God's gifts. Often we are recipients of his grace without our being aware of his gifts to us. These three little items may seem unimportant, but indeed, they are vital to our very existence. Rain, grass, and earthworms may not be at the top of your list of items to appreciate, but they do represent God's grace to us, if we recognize them or not. May God give us hearts to appreciate His bountiful gifts.