The real reason to be grateful
Content The title of today's sermon is the real reason to be grateful.
What can our children thank God for? Being healthy, attending school well, being able to eat delicious food, yes. I am really thankful to God that I can come to church this Sunday and learn the word of God and worship with my friends.
Our children, who have so many reasons to be thankful, seem to be loved by the true God. But some people don't seem to have much reason to be grateful.
There lived a man who was always thankful to God in a certain village. This is how this uncle greets his friends every time he meets them. “I am so thankful to God.”
This man's friends have always been curious.
"How can such a poor man thank God? He's probably thankful because he likes the house he lives in."
Then one day, a forest fire broke out in the neighborhood and the houses were all burned down. Thanks Uncle's house was also burned down. Homeless people cried and cried. "Oh my God, you don't care, how did you set our house on fire? Oh, dear." But the thanks uncle was saying, "I'm really thankful to God." "Hey, thank you. The house is all gone..." "Everyone has a reason to be grateful." Thank you Uncle was saying this. My friends thought deeply. "Yeah, he has a large field, so he can thank God."
That summer, there was no rain in the whole village. All the crops in the village's fields withered when it didn't rain. People cried and cried and complained again. "God does it too much, so we don't give rain like this to make a living. It's okay." But all this summer, thank-you uncle greets everyone he meets like this. "God is very grateful." People just got angry. "Hey, what the hell is God thankful for? Everyone seems to be starving to death now, what the hell is this? What are you thankful for?" Still, thanks Uncle, he told his friends. "You don't seem to know yet, but I have every reason to thank God..." My friends thought. "Yeah, he has a nice and pretty daughter, so it seems he can thank God even if he doesn't have anything to eat."
Then one day, Uncle Gratitude's daughter fell ill. It was a terrifying disease that people who got it would die within a day if they didn't get to the hospital right away. Upon hearing the news, the friends ran to the uncle's house. It wasn't because he was worried about his daughter, but to see if he could thank God anyway. If we don't get him to the hospital soon, this daughter may die.
friends said "Are you still thankful to God? My only daughter may die. How much dust do you know to get from our village to the hospital?" But this man told his friends. "Still, I thank God." "This friend must be crazy. What the hell are you thankful for? The house is gone, there is no more food in the fields, and your only daughter is so sick. What are you thankful for?"
My uncle still said this. "I don't know why God allowed me to meet these difficult things, but I have reason to be thankful to God."
My friends and my uncle left the house to go to the hospital in a neighboring village across the river. However, to get to the neighboring village, I had to cross a bridge that was far away. Because it took more than a day to cross that bridge and get to the neighboring village. There was absolutely no time.
But something amazing happened. When my friends and my uncle arrived at the river, it had not rained all summer, so the river was dry. My friends said, "I'm so lucky. You're lucky. If you go here, you'll be able to get to the hospital within today." But he told his friends. "Now, you know. Why can't I be thankful? That's because God promised to always protect me. He always loved me no matter what the difficulties were."
Only then did my friends understand. It wasn't a house, it wasn't a field, it wasn't because of my cute daughter, it wasn't because I could feel God's love every day, so I was able to be thankful.
Will God love our friends too? I really believe it. The evangelist will read the words to friends who do not believe well. Romans 8:39 ~
Therefore, I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor the powers of hell, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor high things, nor deep things, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:16
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
God loves us so much. Jesus loved us so much that he came into this world to give us eternal life and Jesus died on the cross for us. No matter what difficulties and worries arise, Jesus' love for us does not change. Then there is nothing to be afraid of. Nothing to complain about. If God loves and protects us, there is no reason to complain. That's the reason I'm really grateful.
Our children thank God for what they have. Nice house, nice clothes, lots of friends.
Thank God for what you can do. First in class, first in running, skiing, computer...
But that's not the reason we can really thank God. It is because God loves us and protects us. If that's really the reason, you can be grateful no matter what difficulties arise. Even if you feel a little sick, even if you do not live in a better house than your friends, you cannot study. If you have a father who has quit his job, tell him today. "Dad, God still loves you and my family. God will give you better things." Children who know the real reason to be thankful to God will be able to say this with all their heart.
Children who have found a real reason to be grateful today, put your hands together.