Title: Gratitude and Restoration (2008.11.16)
Contents
Date: November 16, 2008
Word: Jeremiah 33:10-18
Title: Gratitude and Restoration
Contents:
Israel was utterly devastated and a nation that could not be rebuilt. But now Jeremiah is again calling for the rebuilding of Judah and the restoration of Jerusalem. When the world was filled with worldly peace and joy, God's lonely prophet Jeremiah saw God's judgment coming upon Israel in tears of prayer. When people in the world cry out that there is no hope that the whole world is only darkness and suffering, the people of God see hope and joy in it.
Think of the sounds that permeate the land.
Unhappy sounds and happy sounds. Weeping is the sound of unhappiness, laughter is the sound of joy. But people of faith are different. The sound of weeping for sin and weeping toward God is the sound of blessing that brings laughter, and the sound of laughter toward the world is the sound of a curse that invites weeping. All of them answer that Korea is statistically more difficult than I.M.F.
The best sound among the sounds is the sound of thanks
Only mature saints know how to be grateful. Christians must make the society in which we live a voice of gratitude. In our home, instead of crying, annoyance, and resentment about dying, we should let the voice of thanksgiving and praise overflow through the grace of the cross that gave us new life. What the Christian home should be different from the world is that it should be rich in gratitude. Gratitude to God, parents, brothers and sisters, and society should be abundant.
Gratitude is recovery and healing.
An artist named Solman fell seriously ill shortly after marriage. Due to a disease called lymph node tuberculosis, doctors sentenced him to three months to be the rest of his life. My wife is a singer and she was pregnant. Solman felt so sorry for his wife and he was desperate. At that time, the wife took her husband's hand and said, "Let's thank God for allowing us three months each. And let's live three months like 30 years." The two lived with gratitude to God, painted diligently, and gave thanks every day, but their illness was healed as if washed away. And he came to paint the famous “Face of Jesus” painting.
Gratitude is an ability.
Gratitude is grace.
Gratitude is the confession of faith of mature saints.
Dear saints,
Let's be thankful even if all of our churches die. Like the prophet Habakkuk, let's still live with thanksgiving.