Last night at church I was completely moved by the sermon Pastor Mike Breaux as he spoke on the story of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17) and only one came back to say “thanks” to Jesus. Only one, after years of pain and toil. How there are only few “two word” combinations in the English Language as powerful as “Thank You”.
Gratitude chases away envy, greed, cynicism, and things not of the Kingdom. It’s foundational for finding a great life and vital for becoming God’s best in you. It’s not a self-centered “you owe me” kind of heart. When you go around with a sense of entitlement, you blame everyone else but yourself and you become cynical of life and ungrateful in life.
How much do I say thank you? Because it has a way of reframing the way you see your life.
Not only was this guy a leper but also a Samaritan, and back then it’s a double “whammy”. But have you ever thanked God that he doesn’t show favoritism on people, countries, or that we work for His love which is impossible?
So this guy was separated from life spiritually, emotionally, physically, and socially. One day you wake up and realize you’re unclean, contagious, isolated, quarantined, and lost everything. But he stepped out in faith and asked Jesus for healing. Jesus tells him to go the priests, which you only go to if you’re already clean; but at once they turned before being healed (that’s the step of faith) going to God before you’re clean, and on the way they were healed. You don’t have to be perfect first, but be willing to step in faith.
And so as I’ve just come back from The World Race and moved into a time of Thanksgiving I think God did this perfectly so as a World Racer, and Christian wouldn’t forget how grateful I should be for what happened this past year. Maybe Thanksgiving is getting cheated, once over we move to Christmas and shopping, but maybe Thanksgiving should be from Friday-Sunday.
Gratitude:
Simply noticing what God is doing everywhere and notice that life itself is grace!
It’s contagious; you don’t want to be with ungrateful people, but it’s a choice you make, you cannot catch it from someone else.
That it’s all encompassing – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says to give thanks in ALL circumstances. Joy, trials. It’s amazing how many times Paul was grateful while he was in prison.
And that it’s also God-centered. Are you always asking God for stuff or thanking God for what He’s done for you this year more?
Thankful that Christ is in me, the hope of glory, a hope that a dysfunctional human being ever became the glory you’ve called me to be.
So we were given homework to make a list of things I’m grateful for and this morning I took time to write down on a piece of paper what I was grateful for. I hope you read; maybe you were just interested in the lesson taught beforehand, but if you read this list, I hope you find things you are grateful for and know you are truly blessed; only to be a blessing to others.
For my family who love and support me, even in the tough times.
for my parent who have made such sacrifices for me to have a better life and follow your desires
for my friends at home in Lexington, the state of Kentucky, the US, and around the world.
for a community that I can share life with, grow in Christ, and love unselfishly.
that heaven is real, and to see glimpses of that on earth each day.
for adventures, to remind me that life isn’t boring and doesn’t have to be routine.
for simplicity, because I can make it difficult and over loaded with stuff
for the hard lessons, failings, trials; without them I couldn’t be better and see your grace and love more.
for an AIM staff that pushes us to our destiny, gives us truth, and believes in this generation.
that You, God, are bigger than any of my expectations and assumptions.
for the way you’ve protected me all my life in your Truth, Love, and Grace
for showing me that faith is a risk you take trusting you, it’s not always common sense or something I can see proof of, but it’s trusting in you when it still looks crazy.
for laughter and fun, the random moments in life that catch you and bring a smile.
for kingdom minded people and how you stretch us.
for the power of the Spirit, unexplainable peace, and the incredible gift of Jesus.
for being in the ministry, I get ministered just as much back.
that there are places that perfect people aren’t only allowed; it would be a really small church, disillusioned, and no pastor.
for taking the insecurities and lies out of my life.
for the sunrise that’s beautiful, the fog in the valley, the quietness of the forest, and the majestic roar of ocean waves and the never ending water; I feel small.
for the stars that blanket the sky in Africa, Thailand mountains, Australia outback.
for music, allowing me to play music, and worship
to have conversations with people about you, your grace
that You loved me first and that I am a son of You.
for the incredible saints in the Bible to now who have lived and died for a treasure that burned in their hearts, may I have the same passion and sacrifice for your glory.
for my squad this year, a new family, worship that was free, love in each other, words of life and truth spoken
for all my supporters, prayer and financially, to believe in something greater than ourselves and have a heart to change lives. It’s more blessed to give than to receive; time, money, and love.
for my team, the way we loved easy or not, but never settled, You grew us and changed us and showed us a community that loved each other.
for New Zealand, Rob and his family, the kids camps and those who came to Christ, for teaching me the importance of listening, the beauty of that place.
that I don’t have to be defined by other people and their opinions, but affirmed only in you and that you define me only. You sought me out.
for Australia, the outback, my first team and the unity in a difficult month, the stars that would burst at night, the couple from India that took us in.
for the Philippines, the dreams of Jeff Long and his family, the staff at KIM and the workers I will never forget and will always love, the kids at the orphanage, the prison ministry and to baptize 12 inmates on my birthday, the homeless feedings, the church and their pastor, the great story of the volcano, the squad as a whole, the beach, and showing me that America pride is humbled and no more when you see the slums and poverty; we must look beyond ourselves.
for Cambodia, the heat makes me appreciate AC! Cecil and her staff, got bikes, my new team, seeing Angkor Wat, the English classes, revealing me the darkness of Buddhism
for Thailand, the mountains, rainbows, showers in the rain, water after hot days of work, the men I worked with who want to be the best men of God, for Arun and Pbang, to wake up in my tent and see the beauty of your creation, the sunsets. Our girls who fought against no sleep and heat to reach the women stuck in humantrafficking.
for Kenya, Esther and Chalice, the family we stayed with, friends like Simon, Lucas, Wykcliffe, showing me that church can have fun dancing and singing freely. Little orphan kids running barefoot with runny noses singing “How are you?” over and over for just a simple handshake.
for Tanzania, and the love of a village that was so deep and hard to leave. People like Yusuph, Pastor Paul, K, and others. Dancing in worship African style in a small one room mudded wall church; more fire than the biggest building here that’s modern.
for mosquito nets! A wooden fisherman’s boat on Lake Victoria, for pizza, the creation of animals in the Serengetti, the beauty of life in the moment.
for Uganda, Reverend Milton, for the way that the Word of God sustained these people through war and genocide, AIDS, orphans, poverty, that your hope is still there in the last 30 years of grief. For a cold shower and a bed; millions don’t have any, for sleeping in a grass hut, the stars in the night in the African hut village, for a lot of food and coke; some people starve everyday. For the majesty and power of the Nile River, for the humbleness of the generosity of the people who have nothing.
for Ireland, for a renewed Spirit, for rest, to have fun with five hundred kingdom builders, the beauty of the green, for St. Patrick, for the Wicklow mountains, and spending a memorable last night with Jordan and Trevor at Brazen Head.
for Romania, the conversations on the street, a loving village and church, a nice place to stay, for the incredible majesty of the Carpathean mountains, sunsets over the cornfields.
for Hungary, Sina and Brett, to walk through the mountains and see it’s beautiful display of fall colors, your masterpiece. For Pastor Joska, his generosity knows no limits and has made me more naturally generous, for getting to help construct the site, to love a team deeply and be loved back, to see history and the beauty of Budapest. Meeting Jenae in the market and encouraging her.
for Ukraine; Mark, Marina, Vika, Igor and others. Meeting Tanya and seeing God work in her slowly. They left the comforts of their home and family to bring your gospel to places where it’s not and knew the cost would be difficult. How you overcome war, communism, and depression.
to be able to worship you in different languages at once across the world.
for the final moments with my squad family and friends.
for safe travels all around the world (no matter how close the cow was) and the crazy modes of transportation.
For healing my heart in so many ways, showing me sin to be rooted out, for giving me peace for the future.
for food, shelter, clean water (taste good or not) but to not forget and fail to act upon those who dont have it.
for a free country to worship, a President who isn’t perfect, one to bless others.
for Skype!
for how you’ve always been there, so I won’t distrust you and how you’ll always be there.
for smiles from people who have nothing, it’s a good reality check.
for Christmas, the gift of your Son.
thank you…for you.
