LIGHT CHECK

Six years ago, I shut my front door and realized too late that I had just locked myself out of my own house!  That very morning, I had been studying one of Paul’s exhortations to the church at Thessalonica: “In everything give thanks.”   Since this passage was so fresh on my mind, I just started thanking God for having a house I could lock myself out!  Later, after getting help to get back inside and recover my keys, I met Bruce, a friend of mine, and told him my story.  After that, whenever we’d get together, Bruce would usually reply to anything I shared – “OK, but were you thankful?!”  We’d both smile.

A few months after locking myself out of my house, I was standing by Bruce at a groundbreaking. As the person in charge was jokingly sharing how he had really been the first one to “break ground” on the property by getting his suburban stuck near the entrance – Bruce turned to me with a twinkle in his blue eyes and said, “Yes, but was he thankful?”  I laughed.

Our song of the month of November is “Sanctuary” by Third Day: “O Lord, prepare me – to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true; with thanksgiving I’ll be a living sanctuary for You.”  

In other words:

• Lord, prepare me to be pure and holy
• Lord, try me to be pure and holy
• And through it all, Lord, help me to always be thankful!

Part of the Lord’s preparation of our being sanctuaries for Him is our learning to be thankful in ALL circumstances.  Tall order but extremely necessary.  

“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”  Romans 1:21

It appears that honoring God and giving thanks helps keep “the light on” in our sanctuaries – otherwise hearts are darkened!  LIGHT CHECK!        God is good all the time. Mr. Steve