Blessed or Bothered....It's All About Your Point of View!

I woke up today, after celebrating my 68th birthday yesterday; and though I had a few aches and my back felt a little stiff, I considered myself to be doing okay for a guy approaching seventy. I mean, I vividly remember at the age of 35 attending the funeral services of my dad who had just passed away at the young age of 63 (It seemed young then and even younger now). I know that his gene pool never had longevity on their side; so for me, I lived thinking that I too might experience the same fate.

But praise be to my Heavenly Father that He is not finished with me yet...and that is why I am still bumping and prodding along on this earthly sod. So, it comes down to a this very simple question...How shall I spend my remaining days on this planet...LOOKING AT THE GLASS HALF-EMPTY OR THANKFUL THAT IT IS STILL HALF FULL?

Which brings me to my Scripture for today found in Matthew, the 6th chapter, where Christ says beginning with verse 31: " So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

For most of us, we spend a LOT of our energies in life chasing the things of this world...wealth, security, fame, position, prestige...the list is truly endless. And when we fall short of achieving and gaining the things we desire, we are often left embittered and disillusioned that somehow God has failed to give to us as He promised...."the desires of our heart."

So we do what is natural to man...we look for someone to blame for our miserable existence and then dump on them all our shortcomings and failures. We see life as disappointing and definitely view the glass of life as half empty...or even worse. We are bothered that God could have, should have and would have done more "if only"..... and it is the "if only" that makes our remaining years a time of bleak despair and downcast expectations.

But if we would only take Christ at His word...first seek HIM and HIS righteousness...then all the things we need and many of the things we would want would be GLADLY given from the Father of Lights from whom all blessings flow. But how do we seek HIM and how do we grasp and hold on to His righteousness?

Well, that's a question with an answer for another time... for now, concentrate on counting the blessings that you have and with each one give THANKS to a God who loves you SO MUCH that He did not even spare His own Son....rather He sent Him to pay our sin debt and give us the righteousness of Christ; so that one day we can stand unashamed in front of a HOLY GOD...now that's a glass that is filled to the top and overflowing.

So no matter your age or your position in life, look forward to this day that the Lord has given you and rejoice in the blessings of your life...changing your outlook is simple...JUST CHANGE YOUR UPLOOK AND SEEK THE FATHER AS YOU IMITATE THE SON!!!

Seeking to Serve So That Others Might Be BLESSED,

WPQ

Poem for the day:

It's easy in this world of ours

To lament our place in life;

To fault our Father up above

For our toils, our pain and strife.

But when we strive to follow Jesus

And truly imitate this man;

Then  we will have a joy-filled  life

As we live according to His plan.

WPQ©2017