Last week I enjoyed speaking at Emmanuel Pentecostal Church over in Accrington but, I have to say, I missed being here! I think one of our main human shortcomings is our default of taking way too much for granted, and I think being away last week was a timely reminder to appreciate what we have here at CCC a little more.
I think another of our inclinations is to major upon that which we don’t have, rather than focusing on what we do have! One of the refreshing things about the Bible is the way it promotes the spiritual over the material. When we decide to look at our lives spiritually, the landscape has to change! For our context, this means choosing to see life as God would have us view it: loving people as God loves them, handling situations in accordance with biblical truth and believing the best rather than going for the cynical alternative! The apostle Paul wrote these words to Philemon, whom he describes as a ‘dear friend and fellow worker’: ‘I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.’ (See the first five verses of ‘Philemon’.)
Choosing not to take things for granted may take a little more openness in expressing our feelings rather than just thinking them. Food for thought?