Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Gratitude













Again, another great song. It's better with the music, so you should look it up. I love it.

Gratitude- By: Nichole Nordeman

Send some rain, would you send some rain?
Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would you send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely you can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe you'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case

We'll give thanks to you in gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for you
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If you never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups and fill them up again tonight
And wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time

Or maybe not, not today
Maybe you'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case
We'll give thank to you with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after you
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is over our head
Or if we never taste that bread

Oh the differences that often are between
Everything we want, and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case

We'll give thanks to you with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in you
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if you never grant us peace
But Jesus would You please...

I love this song. Every time I hear it, it speaks to me and reminds me of God's goodness despite my small struggles.

We live in a day and age where we wake up in an unprecidented comfort. We have the luxury of heating and air, warm water, electricity, the world is at our fingertips through the internet, we drive cars and have jobs, family and friends who love us, roofs over our heads, clothes on our backs and a comfortable bed to sleep in every night. However, we are daunted by our seemingly necessary wants and desires that we neglect to be thankful for what we do have because we only want more. We live in a luxury that would have been the envy of kings. We enjoy music in every style imaginable, entertainment and media access to the entire world. We can instantly communicate across vast distances, hardly having to leave our cozy cottage and we can easily access means of travel and go places people only ever dream of going. We have an abundance of great ease and comfort yet we are never fulfilled and we are only ever wanting more.

We enjoy freedom of thought, speech and religion that few in history were ever allowed and even still today there are many who would give their lives to have what we maintain. It is a profound privilege that we so often take for granted. So much of the modern convenience that we have today did not exsist long ago and does not even exsist in many places around the globe today.

Gratitude is to give thanks in everything- good or bad, hard or easy, peaceful or burdensome, in rest and weariness, in difficult times and in happy times, in sickness and in health, whether rich or poor, through life and in death etc. Gratitude unburdens our spirit from negative emotions and gives room for charity in our hearts. It opens the windows of heaven to work miracles in our lives. It shines light in our caring for others.

It seems that those who have so little have so much more gratitude. For instance, while in Mexico last month we were confronted with many people who lived in utter poverty. We came in contact with children who didn't even have shoes on their little feet yet they were so unbelievably grateful to color a picture or be given a small stuffed animal. You would've thought we had just handed them the world or something. It was such a lesson for me to sit back and watch the simplicity of their thankfulness.

We have so much to be thankful for. I am blessed beyond meaure in so many aspects. I need to practice being more grateful- it's enriching and it makes life so much better, really.

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
-1 Thessalonians 5:18

"Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe."- Hebrews 12:28

2 comments:

Sarah Bradshaw said...

Amber, this is one of my all-time favorite songs. Thanks for posting it. =)

Anonymous said...

I love this post.
It's been on my heart lately too to be more greatful for the things we have. Always wanting 'more' has become part of who we are. We do "live in a luxury that would have been the envy of kings"
It's so true!
I'm working on changing this in my life.

thanks for the post =)