In Everything Give Thanks

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Many years ago, a sweet sister blessed me with a pretty wall decor bearing this scripture. It's easy to rejoice and give thanks when things are going well. It's often tougher when they are not.

The following verse has become a long-time favorite of mine. The Holy Spirit graciously brings it to my mind whenever I need it.

"Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless, I will argue my ways before Him."     Job 13:15

Job tells us, "I will argue my ways before Him." Remember, God called Job a righteous man. It's okay for us to speak directly to God about how we feel concerning our life circumstances. It's then that He can give us His Godly perspective and minister/teach us the lesson in that which He has allowed into our lives for our sanctification. This is when we can grasp the fulness of Romans 8:28-30 ("All things work together for good...") and James 1:2-8 ("Consider it all joy...")

Our family has recently made a very big move, which has changed our lives in many ways. The social and economic dynamics of our new city, compared to the old one, are huge. For instance, we don't have a natural gas connection. My husband and son are responsible for keeping the fire of our central heating system going 24/7 (which also means chopping and stacking the wood). The temperature drops to well below zero degrees at night, so JeJe must waken during the night to replenish the fire.

Many other things have changed as well. Most people in our new city are "working class," but almost an equal amount are very poor. The conditions they live in reflect their poverty. They have no running water in their homes, no money for coal or wood to heat their living quarters, and many eat bread and butter because they can't afford more nutritious food.

Our former city boasted of two shopping malls, two Starbucks (a BIG deal here in Romania), four McDonalds, three KFCs, and two Subway sandwich stores. Here, the nearest McDonalds is over an hour drive away. Perspective is everything!

I've spent this past week unpacking boxes. Up to this point we had spent the entire year of 2016 living out of suitcases, boxes and plastic bags. We were in the U.S. for six moths due to my health issues. Prior to our return to Romania, we knew God was going to do something "New." The church in our former city of Cluj did very well without us, which was an answer to our prayers. God was asking us to move.

When we returned to Cluj we began packing, preparing for the coming adventure. Newly packed boxes sat side by side with the items we didn't need to unpack when we arrived back from the U.S. Through this we have learned to live with less when necessary. However I'm not complaining. When I look at what the people in our new city endure, any complaint that may have been welling up in my heart has been quickly and graciously stifled by the Lord.

Every day has brought new challenges - a broken faucet, snow (which means we bundle up and drive in snow and ice), learning to cook on a stove-top with the heat suppled from a gas bottle, low capacity electric water heater which affects our showers ("military-style" - rinse, wash, rinse again with water running only for the quick rinses) and laundry (one load takes sixty to ninety minutes and the washer capacity is one-third of that in the U.S.). Tap water isn't safe for drinking so we buy bottled water. Oh, did I say all laundry is line-dried, all year round?

There are pockets of gypsies throughout our neighborhood with much dirt (roads aren't paved) and trash strewn about. My list could go on and on, but I am going to focus on Jesus - all He left behind for me - and all He came to do. He left Heaven. He came here knowing it would end in betrayal, humiliation and the ultimate sacrifice. He came because, no matter how much or little we have, we need Him!

I'm often reminded of the lyrics to a Mercy Me song that God used years ago to launch us back into serving Him here in Romania. "Such a tiny offering compared to Calvary." Whatever we go through today, we can rejoice in Calvary - our victory in Him - and allow Him to use that very thing for our sanctification. 

Don't despise the very thing that God is using to drive you to Him.

I have so much to be thankful for. I go to bed each night thanking Him for a great life in Him. It was good to have all my material blessings packed away for so long. As I have unpacked each one my heart gives thanks over all the things He has blessed me (us) with.

My hope and blessings are in Christ Jesus. I love sharing our Blessed Hope with the people in great need around me. We can live without a lot of belongings, but we can't live without Him and His power in our lives. That is worth singing out in Praise and Thanksgiving.

"...but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."                    1 Corinthians 15:57

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place." 2 Corinthians 2:24

Happy Thanksgiving from Coleen Jejeran, Missionary to Romania

God Is Omniscient

"For I am the LORD, I change not." Malachi 3:6

"God is not a man that He should lie..." Numbers 23:19

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

God knows everything from before the beginning of His creation to beyond the end. As such, He never changes and He never lies. He doesn't have to "make nice" to us for any reason. We don't add one thing to Him. All we can give Him is a heart that is selfish, deceiving and desperately wicked; and eyes that see through a glass darkly.

When He said "Let us make man in our image" He saw perfection but He knew we would descend into the depths of sin if given free will. He knew that without free will we wouldn't be in His image. So He already knew how, and by whom, He would save us. 

Nothing is ever a surprise to Him. He doesn't throw a temper tantrum when events happen that we think aren't what He wanted. From His perspective He knew it would happen and He uses it as part of His plan of salvation, redemption and restoration of His creation.

He doesn't need us. But, oh Thank God, He loves us and wants us. As long as I am living in this earthly tent I will never be able to comprehend the depth of His love and yearning for us..

"Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness." Jeremiah 31:3

Thank You, Father, that you know the beginning from the end, that You change not and that Your Word is true. Thank you for opening my blind eyes, unlocking my deaf ears and giving me a new heart to receive Your love and love You in return.

He Hears My Cry

"I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD." Psalm 40:1-3

O Lord, my God, You are from everlasting to everlasting, the source of all power, light and life in this universe You created. Who am I that you consider me? I am smaller than a speck of dust, yet You hear my cry.

You saw the quagmire of my life, that I was sinking and gasping for my last breath of air. In Your tender mercy you reached down and set my feet upon the Solid Rock of Your Son, Jesus Christ. 

You have never left me, never forsaken me. You have put a new song in my heart and mouth, a song of praise and thanksgiving to You.

May my feeble "Thank You" reverberate through space, gaining in strength as it is joined by the chorus of praise offered by Your people for eternity.

In the Powerful Name of Jesus,                                                                                                    Amen.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

"May my prayer be counted as incense before You. The lifting of my hands as the evening offering. Psalm 141:2

Father God,

You have blessed us in a myriad of ways. You’ve loved us when we were most unlovable. You’ve saved us from our sins and You made us new, washing us with the blood of Your Son Jesus, our Lord. Your word teaches us, comforts us, helps us to see Your will in our lives and even chastens us because You love us. Oh Lord, You didn’t do all this so we would just receive from Your hand, but You’ve taught us to pray so we can be in communion with you.

And so, like the Psalmist, we want to offer up praise. We want You to know -  not just our need for You, which is great - but offer our love, a heart of worship, a humble and contrite spirit that you can use. Most of all we offer up thanksgiving. The words “Thank You” don’t seem enough but You see our hearts and understand our intention.
Amen

"You do not want sacrifice or I would give it; You are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart." Psalm 51:16-17

Thank You for Rest and Restoration

"Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care:" Psalm 95:6-7

Praise be to You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You led me to this place because You knew I could rest and be restored by this flock, which is under Your care.

I am healed and restored. You have provided so much more joy to me than I every thought possible.

Thank You, Father.