Gratitude
Rejoice always, pray continually, give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
–
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
There’s a lot of thankful people around these days.
Some are thankful they were spared. Some are thankful they are alive.
My neighbor said he prayed fervently during the storm
for God to spare his house. He has tall trees in both the front and back yards
and he was concerned that the wind would cause one or more to crash onto his
house. His home weathered the storm without so much as a missing shingle. He’s
been happily cleaning up limbs and leaves. It’s a small thing when he realizes
what could have happened.
Another woman rejoices because her family is safe. So
many people chose to ride out the storm in their homes. It sounded like a good
idea, didn’t it? Until winds reached 150 mph and their homes were torn apart
around them.
Another man got his power back today, well before he
expected it. He’s looking forward to a hot cup of coffee. He said he knew it would
sure taste good now that the storm and power outage reminded him of what it’s
like to do without that coffee every morning.
There’s nothing like having your foundation ripped
apart to realize what’s important. Family and friends come immediately to mind.
Neighbors. Co-workers. And then the basics. When you’re thirsty and without
power or water, someone delivering a nice cool bottle of water fills you with
gratitude.
So do the power trucks lining the roads. They’re
heading south to help and we’re just so grateful. We’re grateful for the search
and rescue teams that are traveling south. We’re praying they find survivors.
We’re glad that they will do what they can to make sure everyone is located,
however that might turn out.
We’re thankful for those who, no longer needing their
generator, loan it to someone who does. We’re thankful for gasoline to run cars
and chainsaws and, yes, generators. We’re glad that a grocery store without
power decided to cook all their meat and give it away to a community without
power.
We’re grateful for the people who operate the numerous
shelters around the area. They’re providing way more than a place to sleep and
meals. They’re giving out hugs, entertaining children, helping parents grieve
what they’ve lost. People who are numb need someone trustworthy to help them
navigate these early days of loss. We’re grateful for those who step up to
provide that.
The days are long right now. The task seems
overwhelming. Nothing will ever be the same. So much is gone. Yet so much
remains.
I am grateful for God’s Presence is the midst of it
all. I pray that others come to see Him in the middle of this disaster. I hope
they turn to Him for peace and strength. And I hope all of us keep our hearts
and minds focused on Jesus. It’s just so easy to become overwhelmed but Jesus
said that when we are weary we’re to cast our burdens on Him because He cares
for us.
I don’t know your circumstances but I do know this:
There’s just so much to be grateful for this day. Take a moment and thank God
for that.
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