What does matter is how much thanks we give for what we have...
Easter! Different things to different people. Bunnies, eggs, chocolate eggs, marsh mellow centred delights, egg hunts, food galore and families coming together. Here’s my thought on the subject. Easter to me personally is not a pagan holiday, it is a celebration of remembrance that our Lord and Saviour died on a Roman cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb and was raised to life on the third day – the first day of a new week. A Sunday. Easter is a time to earnestly reflect on my life and to have a good look at the condition of my spiritual heart. Is there hardness of heart? Is there doubt? Am I harbouring unforgiveness or enjoying a judgemental spirit? Have I embraced the ever present opportunity to wallow in offences? Have I slipped into compromise? How is my relationship with Jesus? Do I grieve the Holy Spirit by ignoring or disobeying Him? These are positive actions that result in newness and refreshing and emerge with a greater sense of joy.
It is a time we partake of bread. The bread of the Passover, the bread Messiah gave to His disciples at the Last Supper. Bread. Jesus said that He is the bread of life. In some circles communion is named Eucharist. Ponder that. What is the meaning? My devotional reminded me of this just recently. Actually that word does not mean bread as we know it. In reality it means to say a blessing or to give thanks. Jesus Christ said a blessing and gave thanks over the bread. It would have been a Hebrew blessing : “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.” At Easter we give thanks for the bread. We give thanks for His sacrifice.
This reminds me, and should remind you, that my life and your life is not about objects, but of the blessings we say over them, the thanks we give for them. Our daily food, water, sunlight, work, salary, home, family. As a missionary I have experienced this so very much. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how much or how little we have.
Life here on earth is unfair, but we always have things to say thank you for. Sunrise, a new day, rain, fresh air, eyes to see, ears to hear, pets, a bed and a pillow, to name just a few. If a person is very rich in possessions, but very poor in giving thanks is, in the end, actually poor. But the one who is poor in possessions but rich in thankfulness is, in the end, rich. This I have seen in my Missionary walk. The poor are way more grateful. They relish in a meal, a harvest of beans, a new water pump, an invitation to church to sing and dance and share and help and give. Their children are always smiling. They are not fussy over food presented. Among the rich we find sulking, spoiled, demanding offspring – not their fault! That’s how they are being raised.
At the Last Supper, Jesus gave thanks over the bread. But what was He actually giving thanks for? The bread was the symbol of His suffering and His death. Imagine that! No wonder unbelievers consider us weird! But He did. He spoke a blessing over that symbol and He gave thanks for it. Maybe this Easter ask for the ability to give thanks in all things and see the power to overturn curses to blessings and sorrows into joys, to live a life of gratitude.
This Easter, seek to increase not what you have, but to increase your thanks for what you have. The greater your thanksgiving – the greater your life will become.
Romans 14 : 5 & 6. “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord…”
Whatever your take is on Easter – Happy Easter and be thankful.
Some Scripture reading suggestions : Psalm 136; Luke 22 : 14 – 23; 1 Timothy 6 : 6 - 8