More Thankfulness

I can’t seem to break away from my study of, and actions taken, in thinking about and singing melodies of thankfulness to God.  When Fiver and I snuck out of the house for a walk between thunderstorms this morning, I couldn’t help but to continue in what has become a daily ritual of thanking God.  As we briskly stepped to the park, I thought anew about my life and how blessed I have been.

After planting a Celeste Fig tree in my backyard yesterday afternoon, I came in the house to cool off and recharge.  So, I grabbed my thermos of ice water and sat down in my office… careful not to let my wet T-shirt soak the chair, kicked up my feet on the desk and stared at my picture filled wall. 

As I enjoyed all the memories that those pictures represented, I began to focus my thoughts on the truly unique and close relationship that Piper and I always enjoyed.  We were both dreamers and adventures with a pioneering spirit about us.  I thought back about all the fun and crazy things that we did, how we tended to regularly be on the same page of thought and actions, and of how differently we responded to many of the challenges in life than other members of our extended families did.

I found myself thanking God that we hardly seemed to face many of the difficulties in our relationship that I see many couples around me dealing with.  I loved and therefore trusted her and she loved and therefore trusted me.  I John 4:18 in The Message Bible describes the God-kind of love saying, “There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life— (ie;) fear of death, fear of judgement (and/or the fear of sickness, fear of missing out, fear of not having enough finances, the fear of not being good enough or accepted by others, the fear of not being in control, etc…) —is one not yet fully formed in love.”  

The God’s Word translation tells us that, “No fear exists where love is…”  The Bible in Basic English states, “There is no fear in love: true love has no room for fear…” and I am thankful for that is the type of love that Piper and I worked diligently to attain and then keep strong in our marriage.  The next verse perfectly sums up God’s plan for His love to work in our lives.  My personalized version of I John 4:19 in The Passion Translation would state that “Our ability to love (God, others and ourselves) and to know love (God’s toward us and to others, as well as ours to God) is a grateful response to the love that God first demonstrated to us.”

You see, God set the benchmark and all we have to do is follow the lead that Jesus demonstrated during His 33 years on this earth.  It’s really as simple as that!  Situations and circumstances in life will do their best to throw a wrench into our lives and challenge our faith, but don’t allow them to swerve you off the track of His LOVE working in, for and through you. 

All these adverse situations and circumstances are filled with and driven by the enemy of our faith’s only weapon… and that is FEAR!  Therefore, as we keep our eyes on God’s perfect LOVE working in our lives, the fear will diminish and allow the answers to the needs at hand, to come forth in our lives.  And that my dear friends… is the demonstration of GOD’s LOVE in ACTION!

As I thought about my staring at the myriad of pictures on my study walls today, I found myself thanking God once again, for His perfect LOVE working in mine and Piper’s life over the 48 years of our relationship… and to know that although Piper’s is no longer in the picture of my life… that God and His LOVE still is!  NOW that’s something to be thankful for, wouldn’t you agree?

What many things are YOU thankful for today?  Is the perfect LOVE of God working in, for and through YOU one of them?

Have a terrific week, and as you do… keep EXPECTING God’s best… and then thank Him for it all!