Thursday the 22nd

Ecclesiastes 9  ⁷ Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. ⁸ Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. ⁹ Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.

I have to admit, I am broke! I often wonder how I am going to pay for the next bill that come in the mail. I have a house payment that is too high, kids that both need braces, and college, and cars, and clothes, where is my ministry going, how will I pay for it’s needs,  am I serving the Lord, am I doing enough and well…..I just do not know how I am going to do it all. How am I going to pull all of this off, how will I be successful? AS I sat and thought about all of these things, I could not help but thank God! I give Him thanks that I am fortunate enough to have these problems! I bent my knee last night, and this morning full of thanks. That may sound strange to some, why would I be giving thanks when I have all of these things to worry about, all of these stressors in my life (and that was just a partial list).  Well for one I know the I am not the only person in the world that has many of these same issues, but more importantly, if I allow myself to get down and wallow in all of the unknowns, I will not have any time left to eat my food with gladness, or drink my wine with a joyful heart! You see, he was right, it is now that God favors what you do. He is not to concerned with what you want to do, or what you are planning on doing, or, if you are repentant, what you have done in the past. No it is now the God favors what you do. So what are you doing now? Are you caught up in the “what ifs”, and the “what abouts”? Have you become a slave to all that you don’t have, and all that you need to do? Are you missing the opportunity to enjoy your life, because you are stuck at a stand still full of fear, and worry? You have to let it go. By that I do not mean just forget it, or ignore it, I mean give it to God. He wants it, He sent His Son so that we could rest all of our cares on Him. As Scripture reminds us, if God provides for the birds, and the animals, will he not provide for us?  turn your cares over to the Lord, and start being joyful! Life is short my friends and we only get to do it one time. God did not intend for you to spend your 12 hours of daylight caught up in worry. Don’t let this spectacular gift of life that God has given you slip by with your head down. Live it fully, enjoy every moment that comes your way, and give thanks to the Lord. That is the life He wants you to live, eating with gladness, drinking with a joyful heart, living your life full of pure happiness. Don’t miss tonight’s sunset, because you are worried about tomorrow’s sunrise!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian