Title: Mature Gratitude/Colossians 3:15
Content Today, it is not appropriate to say that we, who live in freedom in the city and in the rich culture, observe the Harvest Festival. That is why some of the members question whether the Harvest Festival is appropriate for our situation today.
That's why some churches say that they have abolished Machu Thanksgiving Sunday altogether. To put it simply, it might be. So, is rice farming the way to build and protect? The meaning and meaning of life of faith is that if you think too easily, everything will fade away. So, I would like to talk about a mature grateful life.
When we live in the world, if we are too biased to reason and lead a computational life, our religious life will all flow into computational faith. The idea that there is no need for a Thanksgiving Sunday because we do not farm barley is actually a ritual born out of computational faith.
If we flow through this kind of consciousness structure, in the end, the image of faith in us is only a shell. Let's all open our hearts to seep into our hearts and worship God with a sincere heart.
First of all, thanksgiving is “the best thing to give thanks in tribulation.”
Most people today feel grateful and grateful when they receive something. This is a thank you that anyone can do. So this kind of gratitude is not a heart that has such an important meaning. However, when it comes to giving thanks during tribulation, it is meaningful and meaningful. It comes out because someone has realized and felt something. Because it is the heart's gratitude.
In Habakkuk 3, the prophet receives one piece of information. It is information that Babylon is coming soon. At that time, Babylon was the most powerful country. It is a country with the same power as the United States today. If they say they come, the country will become a wasteland. When Habakkuk heard the news, the prophet Habakkuk said, "(Habakkuk 3:16) My bowels trembled, and my lips trembled at my voice. Corruption to my bones has come in because I await the day of trouble when Miri comes up against us." I did. Then most people lose their temper. It's hard to tell the front and back.
But Habakkuk fell on his face and sang a hymn of thanks to God. The thanks and praises at that time are the thanksgivings and praises offered during tribulation. This is not something anyone can appreciate. This is the kind of gratitude that only mature believers can imitate.
If you look at the Psalms, there are many prayers, thanksgivings, and praises. Among them, there are thanksgivings for joy, and there are poems of praise, but most of them are prayers, praises, and thanksgiving that they cried out during tribulation. So, even if you look at the lyrics of the praise, most of the lyrics are poems that were moved to tears after being inspired by the tribulation. This is the mature gratitude that humans can do.
When a woman heard that her husband had been in a car accident, she ran to the hospital. On the way, I had a lot of thoughts. But when they arrived at the hospital, they found that only one leg was broken. So the woman slumped to the ground and cried out, "Thank God."
It is said that the husband gave a pin cup to the wife who shouted thanks to God even though her husband had an accident and broke his leg. It is also true that my husband was in a car accident and broke his leg, so what am I thankful for? In fact, yes. A broken leg that was intact is certainly not something to be thankful for.
However, the wife's gratitude means that both of her legs were not broken and that the accident ended as much as she did. That statement is correct. Not two legs, not even a broken back, but only one leg was broken, so it was definitely something to be thankful for.
A believer's interest is different. They have different thoughts and perspectives. The eyes of unbelievers see broken legs, but the eyes of believers see unbroken legs.
If being grateful for something given is the gratitude of a young child, finding the conditions to be grateful for when difficulties are given and giving thanks is possible only with mature adults. That is why such gratitude is called mature gratitude.
Second, "thanks to the poor and lowly" is also a precious thanks.
When we talk about the poor, we think of the story of the widow of Sarepta. When the drought and famine were so severe that they were running out of food, the woman who kneaded the last handful of flour to serve Elijah was truly beautiful.
The woman also had a young son, and it was very difficult for him to cry and cry because he was hungry, but the hand that served the Prophet and refused to do so was truly amazing. That is why the beautiful appearance has been handed down to this day.
If you look at the four Gospels of the New Testament, there is a story about a widow's offering of two coins. Others were able to donate large amounts of money with confidence and with an open mind, but this widow offers two coins with a shyly cringed look.
But the Lord commends the woman very much. Because it was given while it was not there. It is said that the offering he gave to the poor was all his wealth. That is why it is precious to be able to donate while in need. Because it's not something anyone can do. So this is mature thanks and doing it.
It is also good to be grateful for success. Gratitude when good things happen is even more precious thanks. However, it is more precious than anything to be able to discover and thank God for God's grace when there are difficulties, when a life of hardship is given, even in that environment and life. Gratitude is impossible without mature consciousness. So this is what I call mature gratitude.
Thirdly, "the gratitude of the awakened is also the mature gratitude".
God has especially given human beings the gift of reason. So, humans have the ability to realize. We are grateful because we understand, know, and know. However, there are people who live in the same environment and situation, but live with gratitude and joy, and there are people who live without feeling grateful at all.
That's the difference in enlightenment. Because I can't see it, I can't feel it. So enlightenment is a blessing. It is a gift from God. Depending on your enlightenment, this world can be a heaven or a hell. Depending on his thoughts, his life can be either happy or unhappy.
The God who made us sit here this morning is a God who truly loves us. We hope this morning can be a morning of giving thanks for this realization.
Fourth, thanksgiving among thanksgiving is “thanks of faith.”
Among gratitude, there is the gratitude of faith. The thanksgiving of faith is different from the kind of gratitude that we give thanks because we have received it. It is no different from giving thanks in the midst of poverty. And it is inevitably different from giving thanks in tribulation. This thanksgiving of faith comes from believing in God's power, believing in providence, and living by grace. That's why it's called the thanksgiving of faith.
1. Thank you for allowing martyrdom children to come out of the bloodline of a sinner like me.
2. I thank you for giving me this glory among many people.
3. I am grateful to have dedicated my eldest and second sons to God among three sons and three daughters.
4. The martyrdom of one son is an honor, but I am even more grateful that two sons were martyred.
5. I am thankful that I died while falling ill while believing in Jesus, but I am thankful that I was martyred while evangelizing.
6. My son, who was preparing to go to the United States, went to a better heaven than the United States. Thank you for your peace of mind.
7. Thank you for giving me the heart of love to repent of the enemy who shot my son and make him my son.
8. Thank you for giving me a happy heart and ample faith in the face of adversity.
9. Lord, I thank God for giving me an undeserved blessing overflowing with fountains.
This is a decision my parents prayed for 36 years with tears in the morning every morning. I believe that my brothers and sisters have been praying with tears for 23 years, so that they bear fruit.
It is a great thing to say that you are truly living in faith on this earth. Who would come and argue with such a person? Who could touch, knock over and tempt such a person? The high level of faith, what a mysterious world it is. So, those who live without gratitude are savages.
"Be ye grateful. Give thanks in everything." On this morning of Thanksgiving Day, the Lord is commanding us this way. I hope that we can give thanks and praise to God with a deeper and more mature heart, not just because we have harvested.