Overlooked

Friends in Faith:


As I sit here this morning and watch the sun come up, the birds tend the babies in their nest on my porch and the fields begin to turn green with new crops I realize just how much of God’s beauty I miss each day.

And how much God does without me, without my help, without my interference, without my conscious thought and that I only occasionally pray for or give thanks for.

Not only do I overlook the beauty in nature, but I also overlook the gifts that I already have. Gifts that I don’t fully appreciate or use in the ways God intended.

I think about the waste of excess food in our refrigerator or money spent on another t-shirt; the times I took someone for granted; criticized Stan for failing to put a dish in the dishwasher even though he was kind enough to prepare and serve me the food that I just ate; or disregarded a friends thanks.

God has gifted me with food on my table, the talent to be able to work through financial problems, and a loving faith community. Most importantly I am gifted with a spouse who leads me in a Christ centered marriage and extended family who place a high value on remaining connected through “thick or thin.”

In this negative world it is so easy to see the injustices, the immoral choices, the sins of self fulfillment and the lack of respect for family—both by individuals and our government.

Sometimes it seems that spending money is more important than working to help others survive; that fulfilling our own needs and getting our own desires is more important than helping others achieve; or that being fair and equal is more important than doing the charitable works as instructed to us by Jesus.

It seems as if the gifts I have are never quite enough. I seek “more” power, “more” stuff, “more” choices, “more” control and “more” glory.

Yet “I pray that I may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.” And he instructed in just one short reading this weekend:

“Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” 1 Jn 3: 18

Do I act it or do I just speak it?

And the passage went on: “Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth…. for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.” 1 Jn 3: 19-23

Am I keeping his commandments, doing what pleases Him, appreciating his gifts and as sister said, “feeding the right wolf within me?”

And the reading concluded: “Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.” 1 Jn 3:24

Am I overlooking what God is doing for me and around me every day? Am I overlooking HIS truths in my life? Am I overlooking the true gift—His Spirit within me?

Am I so busy searching for more and doing more, that I am missing the opportunities to say thanks? Am I freely sharing His Spirit by serving without expectation of repayment and with the confidence of faith that He will provide for ALL of our earthly needs and the rewards of heaven?

Heavenly Father, my day is for Your glory. May I never overlook the beauty you have placed in this world. Help me to have confidence that the evil that surrounds us because we are being tested as Christians will be overcome by Your grace and through your love, by your will, not mine. Thank you for the health of my family, for granting us our physical needs and for the love which surrounds us through you. Amen

Christ doesn’t promise power, stuff, choice, control or glory—Christ promised and gave us Himself so that we might live in Him, for Him and with Him—for all of eternity.

Instead of overlooking God, learn to expect that God will provide for us when we trust in Him,

Blessings in faith,

Charlotte