January 26, 2020 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART
Rejoice, pray and give thanks.
Doug Bennyson
This week has been a very interesting week in my life. All the people who have been in Edmonton for the past few days can probably relate to this subject that I would be speaking about. The cold! The past few days have been bitter cold in Edmonton. I have been here in Edmonton for close to 5 years. I have seen and experienced cold winters in the spell I’ve been in over here. But for me, most of the bitter cold winters that I have experienced were in the month of February. I don’t think I have experienced one in the past five years in the month of January or this early.
I started praising God for the warm home I can step into, a warm shower I can have, hot food to enjoy, a bed to crawl into and a blanket to cover myself with. And then as days went by, I started feeling miserable. I started to look at the temperatures and crib about how it’s not fair that I am subjected to go through a week of a cold spell. Ironic, is it not?
I work for an organization that helps us serve the inner-city population. Obviously working in an organization like ours the shift of temperature plays a very major role on how it affects the population outside and how they access our services. As I was tucking myself in a few days ago I remember browsing through the temperature from under my sheets and seen that the temperature for the week was intense and it was getting worse day by day. Two of the coldest temperatures of this winter so far showed up this last week. The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart on how privileged I was and how under-privileged the people outside were. My heart ached for them. The Holy Spirit asked me to start praying for the people who don’t have a home and have access to what I have.
It’s interesting what suffering can produce from a person. In this case the Holy Spirit produced not only thankfulness in my heart regarding my situation but also a heart to pray for the people God so dearly loves who are going through a rough patch. As I kept thinking about how I would survive this week I’ve seen people walk into our shelters desperately trying to get away from the cold. God reminded me to be thankful with what I have but also help those who don’t have what I have.
It amazes me always on God’s lavishing patience towards us. It would just take a jerk for us to start questioning God and stop being thankful when our surroundings start affecting us. I pray for myself and you that we would be people of thankfulness and gratitude. I pray we would always have hearts that would remind us about how patient he is with us.
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.