A Life of Praise

Have you ever thought about just how fortunate you are? That you can actually read this post. Ha, no, not that you are reading my blog, but that you can actually read. That you have a computer to read it on and the electricity to power it actually puts you in the top, perhaps 9% of the worlds population who actually owns a computer.

We, personally, own several cars. We have running water. We have access to top medical care. We have credit. We have more than 2 weeks worth of clothes in the closet. More than a week of food on the pantry shelf. We have family who loves us and would help us in any emergency. We have friends, a church family.

And yet we take so  much of this for granted. These are mostly material things. What of the spiritual and emotional? If you are a Christian, then you believe that you have eternal life after death in heaven. That you have been forgiven your sins. That you have a Father who loves you and cares for you.

Do you find yourself living in a state of constant praise to God for what He has given you? I don't. I should, but so often I look at the things I don't have. I focus on the problems I face, not the blessings I enjoy.

The longer I live in Honduras, the more I am learning to praise God. Almost every day I wake up and have to pinch myself to see if I'm just dreaming. I am blessed to be living here in this beautiful country. We have made some wonderful friends here. I have not worked in almost a year now and we still have food on the table and for tomorrow too. It's not as though I have nothing to do. Instead, I have opportunities to help people who have no water, get water. I am blessed to be pioneering the start up of two new businesses, neither of which take a whole lot of my time. My family is healthy. We are very actively engaged in community.

I want to live a life of praise to God. Although the Bible tells us to bring cares and concerns to God, we are told overwhelmingly to praise Him...in everything. Do you want to join me in learning to live a life of praise? 

A Challenging Dilemma

In my last post I wrote about a man named Charley and his belief that God heals and has given us the power to do the same through the Name of Jesus. I asked the question, "Why would we want to serve a supernatural God and live our lives only looking for natural results?"

Would you think me really odd, if you don't already, if I told you that more and more I long to see the supernatural God I believe in at work in me and around me?

So here's another question. "If God is to show His power, wouldn't you think that it would be only when we ourselves are out of options?" Now don't get me wrong. I don't want to get sick so I can see if God will heal me.

I think of most of the recorded miracles which Jesus did. Most of them were healings, obviously things that the doctors, such as they were, could not cure. He also cast out many demons, something else men could not do on their own. And then there were the ones like when He fed 5,000 men plus the women and children. Or when the storm was so fierce His disciples, although some of them were seasoned fishermen, feared for their lives and He rebuked the storm and it calmed.

I believe that all these miracles were done when man had no other options. The problem with we Christians today is that we have too many options. Something I've noticed here in Honduras, especially among the poor. Their faith and confidence in God is far greater than mine. They often have no other option. No credit card, no social security, no retirement plan, no health insurance, maybe not even tomorrow's food. They also seem to be so thankful for things like health and food. Things we often take for granted.

Something else I've noticed. We usually only want to do the things we can accomplish in our own strength and with our own abilities. I once approached a missions organization about working with me to start an orphanage. They told me to prepare a business plan. Hey, look, I'm a business man. I do understand that before we take on something like that we do need to evaluate the cost etc. But, maybe we should have first gone to God and said, "You have told us to take care of widows and orphans, we want to do that. We are trusting you to provide the resources we need to fulfill your command."

See what I'm talking about. We want to see that we can do it before we step out and follow. We want to know that we have our supporters lined up, pledging to keep us well fed and housed before we leave for the missions field. We want to give to others as long as we know we have enough left over for ourselves. We are called to be wise, but when do we anymore allow faith and the supernatural into our lives? Instead we only look to accomplish the natural. That which we can do ourselves. Does that show faith in a supernatural God who can do anything He wants and owns the gold, the silver and the cattle on a thousand hills...as we are so fond of quoting?

I've had the coolest thing happen recently. My Spanish is mediocre at best. Several months ago, the mother of a friend began to pray that someone would come to teach her and her family about the Bible. This lady lives far up in the mountains here in Honduras. She cannot read or write, but she is a believer with a very strong faith in God. My friend asked me to go. I, because of my lack of Spanish, because I could not see myself being able to fluently teach a Bible lesson, balked, stalled and delayed. Finally, after a  month or so, the lady's mother sent word to me again. "When are you coming?" How could I say no to that. Talk about feeling inadequate and unable though....

The most amazing thing happened. No, I did not miraculously begin speaking Spanish fluently (I wish that were the case) No, instead, because I was there to teach the Bible, others who could read began to come and they began to read the Bible. And so with a few simple questions occasionally from me, they began reading, discussing and learning, mostly on their own. Yes, God is still using me there to guide them and encourage them, but the Holy Spirit is at work in a way that He wouldn't have been if I was fluent and had all the answers for them.

So back to my question. Are we afraid to see the supernatural hand of God in our lives because when we do it usually means we are up against something we can't handle on our own? When we no longer can control the outcome, let alone the circumstance.