I wrote about Good Friday and the way God’s love shines through our darkest days and longest nights. I think it is so important that we stop to thank God for the bright days and starry nights that we experience to show our appreciation for the blessings we enjoy as Christians. God has blessed me so much throughout my life that it is easy to take all of it for granted.
I remember an old radio show from my youth. They described a stranger staggering into town all bruised and bleeding with his clothing shredded. They asked him what happened to him and he gasped, “I fell off that mountain road. That road is dangerous. They need to put up a warning sign.” They answered, “There was a warning sign there for years, but no one fell off, so we took it down.” When things are going smoothly we sometimes forget the way they used to be and let our guard down. We might even forget the warning signs along our path that lead to our blessings and the bright light that gives us warmth and visibility.
As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and warn us whether we are traveling a super highway or a narrow, curvy mountain road. But do we always heed His warning when life seems pleasant and easy? Are we so busy enjoying and living our life that we forget to thank the one who is the source of all good things? One of the best things about being a child of God is that we know who to thank, but do we? We certainly know who to come to and pray to when we are in trouble and need help. Why is it that we often take God’s blessings for granted as if we have somehow earned them?
When you are fortunate to live as long as I have, 79 years and counting, you know how precious every day, every hour, every minute and every second is. You are well aware of the blessing of recovering from a serious illness. You are well aware of the importance of your brothers and sisters in Christ. I thank God every morning for another day to serve Him and a sound mind to share Him with others. Every good thing I encounter during the day, I look up and thank God from whom all blessings flow.
In a speech to a group of young people, I heard Denzel Washington encouraged them to put their shoes way under their bed at night, so they would have to get down on their knees in the morning to retrieve them. Then while down there, thank God for another day and ask for His blessings and guidance. Good advice for all of us.