Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
For many of us the political and socioeconomic conditions are at the least disconcerting and for others, it is devasting and demoralizing. When we look at the political landscape some are hopeless and have given up on the political process. Still others are so are so enmeshed with their political party that they operate as groupthink, carried along with the group thought without thinking, evaluating, or contending with positions that are inconsistent with the word of God.
So, the question is how do we negotiate these disconcerting, devastating and demoralizing times? According to the scripture, we negotiate these times by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. This prescriptive is like a recipe. Each ingredient is necessary to get the desired results. If you leave out an ingredient you don’t get the desired results.
I backed a carrot cake once and forgot to add the eggs. There were several issues with the cake because of it. One, the cake did not rise. Secondly, it did not hold together, it fell apart when handled. And finally, the flavors did not blend. You could taste the baking powder, the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The cake wasn’t palatable. Eggs provide structure, leavening, richness, color, and flavor to baked products. The height and texture of baked goods is determined by the balance between eggs and flour which provide strength, and sugar and fat which add tenderness.
Just as eggs have a function in baking a cake, thankfulness has a function in our quelling our anxieties and ushering us into the peace of God. It is from that place of thanksgiving that we can tell God about our situations and circumstances in faith. The ability to remember and thank God for what he has done, assures us that God can and will answer prayer. David had the courage to fight Goliath because he remembered that God gave him the lion and the bear. Therefore, David had confidence that God would give him the uncircumcised Philistine.
Father help me remember the ingredient of thanksgiving. As I let thanksgiving shape my worries into prayers thank you for the sense of wholeness and peace overshadowing me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN
No comments:
Post a Comment