Thursday, October 30, 2014

How's Your Altitude?

Photo by Eradio Valverde, Jr.

An Attitude of Gratitude Towards God Will Lift You Up

From the Psalmist in the 107th Psalm: 1-7; 33-37: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he led them by a straight way, until they reached an inhabited town.He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry live, and they establish a town to live in; they sow fields, and plant vineyards, and get a fruitful yield.

Nothing goes farther and higher than an attitude of gratitude towards God. It was David's son that said, "In all ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths," (Proverbs 3:6). In all things we should say, "Thank You, God." This is what the Psalmist is saying, and he starts in the right place; If nothing else, give thanks for God's love. God's love is all around us, it is eternal, and it is steadfast. And evidence of that is that in all corners of the globe, God's love is there and has redeemed so many. From desert wastes to highly populated cities; hungry and thirsty, almost to the point of fainting, yes, their spirits fainted, but their cried to God did not go unanswered. Out of trouble God led them to the places where they needed to be.

And David goes farther in declaring God's power (With apologies to the Pope and his declaration yesterday) to create the unexpected and the highly debated: Rivers into deserts; springs of water into very thirsty ground (Yes, God's visited Texas!); fruitful lands into salty wastes; all because of people's unfaithfulness towards God. But, the reverse is true, when people return to Him: Deserts into pools of water; parches lands into springs of water. The hungry come back to life and begin the fullness of life again, filled with faithfulness.

Our gratitude should say a lot about our spirit. Those who seek to see the work of the Lord even during difficult times soon see that the difficulties are brief, and great blessed times return. Through all things we never give up, nor think we are alone.

PRAYER: Lord God, give me the faith and eyes of David. Give me a heart full of love towards You and others; and let me in all things and all ways, say, Thank You! In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.

Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!

Eradio Valverde