Gratitude and Willingness

Are You Grateful?

I woke this morning, prepared to pray and ready myself for work.  All too often I move through the day thinking of God's goodness and mercy in my life and in those I love.  Today I felt a calm assurance that God is and has been blessing me all my life.  Every moment of my life has and is being guided by a governing force much greater than I.  It may seem difficult to understand or even articulate, however, I know without a doubt God is with me.  In times of trouble when I feel alone, He is there.  Ever present, God nurtures and care for us in so many ways.  His love for us will never perish.

Some may think of God as awful and punishing, and rightfully so.  To those who have given their lives in service to Him, there is a blessed reward.  To those who have disobeyed Him theirs is a just reward.   Just?  What do I mean by just reward?  First, let us examine what God himself has told us and instructed us to do.  We are given clear guidance by the prophets and all those sent before us to worship in spirit and in truth.  We are urged to love one another, to feed the sick, visit the poor, to honor our mothers and fathers, to be grateful and to love our neighbor as life our selves.  We are instructed not to kill, steal and be warmongering towards one another.  Do we have reason to fear God?  Yes, of course, we do.  He is a just God, His word is sure and everlasting.  He is not a lier and nor is He the son of a lier.  When we are told of the judgment we forget the clear signs, instructions, and guidance we have been given.  We often forget God's plea and His admonishments to us.  We forget all the wrong we have done to ourselves as well as others and somehow expect that God will grant us entry into the pearly gates when we have paved our own way into the gates of hell.  

This we must remember, God loves us and give us many opportunities to love and care for ourselves and others.  If we love as God loves us we will be grateful in spite of ourselves.  Sinful people earn the reward of hell by the deeds they have committed in the flesh.  Grateful people earn the rewards of heaven by the deeds they have committed in the flesh.  Odd but true, we earn our rewards through our deeds.  God in His mercy wants to reward us with the best things of this life and the hereafter.  But have we earned it?  Often times we are forgiven for our sins without even asking and granted God's favor of mercy under many circumstances.  However, taken for grant God's mercy has boundaries we dare not cross.  I know some will differ on this, however, set boundaries have been established.  When God told Pharaoh "let my people go" there was a clear boundary set up in the Red Sea when the warning was not heeded Pharaoh and his followers drowned.  Did Pharaoh and those who followed him earn their punishment, indeed.  Did they cross clear boundaries, most definitely We have many examples to read, listen and learn from.  God provides everything we need to escape the fires of hell, yet there are many that will end up there.

Why are we so prom to an error in our ways and feel that in spite of our behavior we will in some miraculous way be granted peace and entrance in the hereafter?  Our fears are healthy and strong for we know all too well the deeds we have done in our flesh and continue to do.  We may lie to the world about our upstanding conduct and impeccable behaviors, but we know all too well the truth of the matter.  We can not hide from ourselves and in no way are we capable of hiding from the presence of God.  His angels are writing down our every deed.  I call it divine surveillance for a clear record is being kept of all we do.  On the day of judgment, and there will be a day of judgment, we will be given our books and judged by our deeds.  Although merciful God wants nothing more than to bless us, we have in our own way denied His blessings and asked for just and due to punishment, "if you do the crime, you will do the time."

Am I grateful?  Yes, I woke this morning in my right mind, willing to be obedient, willing to worship and willing to praise and give thanks for another opportunity to get it right.  I must admit I haven't always been willing to do what is in my best interest.  Thank God for His many opportunities and blessings.  I am grateful that I still have time today to muster up enough courage and moral fiber to do what God has called on me to do.  "Adrienne Vanterpool"