War Cry - November, 2012 Page 25

The War Cry | NOVEMBER 2012

We speak it out loud, using words to express our
thanks to God. We verbalize the words of the Psalmist:
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love en-
dures forever" (Psalm 136:1). When life is tough and
we can't see our way through, we start small, being
as thankful as we possibly can in our situation. Not
a Pollyanna "glad game" kind of thankful, but with
genuine thanks for God's provision. In a tough family
situation, we begin with gratitude for a shared meal
or a promise kept. In the midst of illness, we express
our thanks for the care of others and the presence
of God.

And, as Paul reminds us, be sure to sing. Sing

from the Scriptures. "The steadfast love of the Lord
never ceases." Dredge up the songs from the recesses
of memory. "Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul."
Belt them out in the shower. "To God be the glory."
Whisper them in the dark. "All I have needed Thy
hand hath provided." Stand in a circle after an
evening with friends and sing the doxology together:
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

No matter our circumstances, living with thanks

is a choice. M. Craig Barnes helps us in this regard.
"Gratitude is a choice to live with a holy joy that
cannot be diminished by our failure in `engineering.'
We find gratitude by realizing that even the flaws
can become channels for the grace of a God who is
passionate about us--just the way we are."

Thank you, Madelyn, for the "thank you" re-

minder. Indeed, the Psalmist understood what you
are teaching me: "From the lips of children and in-
fants you have ordained praise" (Ps.8:2). When we
live a life of thanks, gratitude can be "the pillow
upon which we kneel to say our nightly prayers"
(Maya Angelou). Thanks be to God!

A S O U R TWO�YEAR�OLD

granddaughter, Madelyn

learns new phrases, she uses them with abandon.
Recently she's added "pease," "thank you" and "you're
welcome" to her ever-growing vocabulary, but she
isn't quite sure when their use is appropriate. What
we're finding is that her sing-song "thank you" pops
out in a variety of situations, including a tearful
thank you after a traumatic doctor's visit.

Is Madelyn coming close to one of those biblical

directives that seems impossible to live up to? It's an
instruction tucked inside of Ephesians 5:19-20: "Sing
and make music from your heart to the Lord, always

giving thanks to God the Father for everything,

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Does Paul really mean

always? In every-

thing? Aren't there some things we just can't

be thankful for? What about cancer and
floods, skunks and mosquitoes? Surely

there's an exception for some things! Yet he

makes a similar point in 1 Thessalonians

5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for

this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

How can we possibly do that?
By trusting that God knows the big picture.
When Corey woke up in a hospital bed after suf-

fering a stroke at age 32, the words "thank you"

weren't the first that escaped from her lips. Yet

five years later, she'll proclaim to anyone who will

listen that her stroke was the best thing that ever

happened to her. It has connected her with a man

who loves her deeply (now her husband). It has en-

riched her relationship with her family. It has brought
her home to faith. Yes, even with the paralysis, the
blinding headaches and the limitations on mobility,
these words are hers: "Lord, thank you for my stroke."

But how do we do it?
By following the instructions given in Scripture.

Major Jo Ann Shade is a retired officer in Ashland, OH.

MAJOR JO ANN SHADE

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