In those times when we feel unappreciated, we do well to consider God's sensibilities in like circumstances.
"He giveth to all life and breath and all things... Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (Acts 17:25; James 1:17).
Our Heavenly Father does not require our gratitude, and is perfectly fulfilled with or without it. Nor does He do what He does for us in order to be thanked. Nevertheless, He doubtless finds blessing in our appreciation, just as we appreciate affirmation for the things we do. He likely also grieves when we fail to live a life of thanksgiving, not so much because of His emotional sensibilities, but because of what it says about our spiritual understanding and recognition. An unthankful heart is a blind heart at best, and a bitter one at worst. A.WTozer once wrote that "thanksgiving is the sweetener of the soul." Indeed, a challenging world will foster bitterness in anyone who fails to open his eyes amid the difficulties of life in order to see how blessed we all really are. Our very breath, including the next one, comes to us from a God who could justifiably banish every one of us to everlasting perdition. Instead, He offers His grace and mercy to all, and freely redeems unto eternal life with Himself all who trust in the greatest beneficence of all, the Lord Jesus Christ: "Now thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift" (II Corinthians 9:15).
The God whom Solomon declares to find delight in our prayers must especially rejoice when He hears from His trusting children the simplicity of "Thank You, Father" (Proverbs 15:8). If this be so, and certainly it is, this very moment offers the opportunity of blessing the heart of One who perpetually blesses and provides for us. Thus, we close to get out of the way in order that we may all express our heartfelt gratitude to the Giver of every good gift and every perfect gift...
"I thank Thee and praise Thee, o God of my fathers."
(Daniel 2:23)
Parents can and should be a vital expression and reflection of God to their children. "Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" wrote the Apostle Paul to Christian parents, a command that must be exemplified in how we live no less than communicated in word (Ephesians 6:4).
Regardless, however, of how faithfully we model our Heavenly Father, none of us approach the perfection of His character, nature, and way. This results in false impressions and interpretations in our children's minds about the most important matter of their existence, namely, who is God, and what kind of Father is He? I often pray for our children that the Lord would mercifully redeem them from the too many episodes when I failed to mirror to them the heart and hand of their Heavenly Father. Be it in word, attitude, action, or inaction, I am painfully aware that they didn't always see in my fathering the Divine parental character, nature, and way that moves us to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, at times they saw who God the Father is not, as opposed to who He is.
In our own lives, the same truth applies. No matter how godly our father and mother may have been, they did not perfectly express the fathering of God. Thus, we must seek to discover His parental ways in the perfect light and authority given for such grace.
"Every word of God is pure... The entrances of Thy words giveth light" (Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 119:130).
Only in Scripture, as illuminated and interpreted by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, can we discover without admixture of error the true nature of God. "Who art Thou, Lord?" (Acts 9:5). Of all the communication we have with our Heavenly Father after entering into relationship through Christ, none compares with the request that He would tell us who He is. The answer, discovered in ongoing consideration of the Bible, provides the very foundation of life and existence, as well as the power to become like our Father. "Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (II Corinthians 3:18).
If we have or had godly parents, let us rejoice in the gift they are to us, seeking to follow their example and heed their counsel. However, let us also realize their inability to perfectly reflect the sublime glory of our Father inHeaven. He must reveal Himself to us as He truly is. "Who art Thou, Lord?" We can ask no better question, and we can be sure that the Father who so loves us rejoices to answer. An open Bible and a heart expectant of the Holy Spirit's illumination provides the light that leads us to rightly know our Father, and thus, to increasingly walk in His character, nature, and way.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."
(Ephesians 1:3)
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).
Walking down a city street early this morning, I noticed a man approaching. The look on his face from a distance elicited the immediate thought that he was not in a good mood. I suspected that if I made eye contact and said hello (we still do that in the Deep South of the United States!), he would ignore me.
Just the opposite happened. I looked at the man as our paths crossed and said "Good morning." He immediately responded with a soft, but gracious voice, "Good morning!" I immediately realized how wrong and unfair my initial assessment of the gentleman had been. I then remembered our Lord's admonition to avoid appearance-based assessments, especially of people. Indeed, appearances may indicate something about people, particularly of their hearts, but they may not. Thus, we do well to emphasize the "righteous judgment" of God and His Word, beginning with the Bible's clear proclamation of how limited we are in determining inner realities by outward indications. "Give me understanding" asked the Psalmist, who well knew his desperate need for the Lord's illumination (Psalm 119:34).
Jumping to conclusions about people based on appearance indicates that we don't know ourselves very well. That is, we fail to recognize our fleshly tendency to base truth and reality on our limited powers of discernment. We also fail to access the grace whereby we base our expectations on the Lord's personal involvement in ordering the steps of our lives (Psalm 37:23). Indeed, I do not believe the crossing of paths with the aforementioned gentleman this morning happened as a matter of mere chance and circumstance. No, I received further education (much needed!) concerning the truth we presently consider, as well as being afforded the privilege of sharing this with you. Moreover, I have opportunity to pray for the man, whom I may never see again, but for whom I can make request unto the Lord for a lifetime. Join me in that regard, and let us all expect many opportunities to overcome the temptation to "judge... according to the appearance." Our Lord rather calls us to His "righteous judgment" whereby God-centered evaluations lead us in Truth and the love of Christ.
"Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
(Proverbs 3:5-6)
