How Much Is Enough?
One of the mantras of my life has been “The Three G’s” — Grateful, Gracious, and Generous. As we come to another Thanksgiving Day take a moment to think about your attitude of Gratitude.
“How much is enough?” You’ve probably read our heard about this question being asked of John D. Rockefeller. This multi-billionaire replied, “Just a little more!” This whimsical retort sadly reveals the hearts and attitudes of too many people. Material success, however we might measure it, has an illusiveness that can be intoxicating to those are looking for a definitive way of measuring their lives.
We all have more than we deserve. Period. To deserve something implies that we are receiving fair compensation for our efforts. The idea of deserving something is also built upon justice. As a believer in the scriptures I must remind us that God’s word clearly teaches that we have been dealt with by His grace rather than His justice. The Psalmist wrote, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” — Ps 103:10 NIV
Everything we have in life is a gift from God. From that initial gasp for air that draws breath into a newborn’s lungs to the final exhale from an aged body and everything in between is because of the good hand of our Heavenly Father. God’s provision for us is far beyond words on a page. God has so perfectly provided for everything. Perhaps the words from Psalm 104 will remind us of the ways God has provided for creation.
“Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth. He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: and bread that sustains his heart. The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys. The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. How many are your works, O LORD. In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works—he who looks at the earth, and it. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD.”
These selected verses, from this lengthy Psalm, perfectly show the majestic way God cares for all of creation. He provides us with everything we have and everything we need. There is not one thing in life that is not a gift from God.
Are you living a life of gratitude today? Around the table tomorrow will you pause and ask everyone there to give you three things for which they are most grateful? It will be the beginning of something wonderful that will take you not only through tomorrow but will be an excellent way to start the Christmas season.