How Many Things Can You Count That Make You Healthy and Thankful?

How Many Things Can You Count That Make You Healthy and Thankful?

Good Morning Friends,

As morning is about to dawn, while it is still dark I contemplate how God brings joy in the morning. In today’s lectionary scripture, we read a Psalm written by David about recovery from an illness that he wrote to be sung at the dedication of the Temple, an event that David would not attend, in part because he counted the wrong things (read 1 Chronicles 21). Yet the words David wrote were echoed on that day of dedication, and even to this day encouraging us of the importance of counting the right things. With this proper perspective we learn how to increase our endurance and outlast the struggles in life… to walk and not grow faint, run and not grow weary. We learn to fight on, to hold on, to press on, to wait on, dance and sing on into eternity the praises to our LORD. So today enjoy a fanciful, no practical, walk in a world. Perhaps you will take ten thousand steps today and they can all be with Jesus toward health. How Many Things Can You Count That Make You Healthy and Thankful?

Scripture: I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O LORD, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” By your favor, O LORD, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed. To you, O LORD, I cried, and to the LORD I made supplication: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, be my helper!” You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Psalm 30 (NRSV)

Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps? 

Job 31:4 (NRSV)

But Joab said, ‘May the Lord increase the number of his people a hundredfold! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord’s servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?’ But the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came back to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 21:3-4 (NRSV)

Message:  The night of darkness is not to last. We are to step out into the light. Count on the LORD to see us through our struggles, giving us the endurance to succeed and wisdom to count our blessings in the process. Even though sin drags us further than we ever intended to go; even though sin keeps us longer that we ever intended to be kept; even though the cost is more than we ever intended to pay, God has ordained that no night should endure forever. Ultimately the problem is not money. The problem is not education. The problem is not too little entertainment. The problem is not even the government. The problem is that we do not count the ways of God and as a result we become slaves to sin and the dictates of the world….death. The promise is that the weeping will end. The promise is that even in the midst of darkness we can have joy. Look back over your life as I look back over mine and remember all that God has already done for us. He has lifted us up. God has not allowed enemies to triumph over us. God has healed our body individually and collectively. God has saved our souls. God has kept us alive. No matter how dark the night may seem there is something to be excited about. Have hope for one day we will rejoice in the victory that has been won through Jesus Christ. Count your blessings friends and find joy in a new day.

Pray that the enemy not drag our lives to the ground. Pray that our glory under bondage receive deliverance. Pray we reflect on just how good God has been to us. Pray we praise God. Pray that God arise in our life as the morning sun. Pray this morning that we have the freedom of having the burden of sin lifted. Pray we rejoice with thanksgiving for the great deliverance God is working out in our lives. Pray we not claim in selfishness and pride that which is the Lord’s. Pray we not lean on our own understanding but instead rely on God. Pray we are more concerned with the power of God than having our way with things and people. Pray we rejoice through the darkness and find joy in the morning.  Pray our pains of experience are mixed with the joys of hope. Pray we get excited about walking in His steps.

Blessings,

John Lawson