COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS AND YOU WILL BE AMAZED

My daughter is very funny. Some time back I picked her up from school and when we got home, I had to start cooking from scratch. I thought I would be quick and decided to boil some rice which should be ready, give or take, in 30 minutes. 10 minutes after the rice was placed on the cooker, she comes to the kitchen and asks “Mummy, is it ready yet?” (Need I remind you that that’s her favourite sentence? *smh*) I said “No darling, give it a few more minutes” (Oops, big mistake!)

Few minutes later – “Mummy is it ready yet?”

Exasperated I said “It will be in 20 minutes”

“20 minutes?” She exclaimed, “Oh God, I have not even eaten anything today!”

That just got me laughing! How could she say she had not had ANYTHING to eat? What happened to the cereal she had before going to school? What happened to the lunch she took to school? The snacks, fruit and juice? I had opened her lunch box and it was empty. And I remembered asking her how lunch was and she said it was fine. You know what? The hunger was affecting her thinking and making her has ‘selective’ memory. As far as she was concerned, she was hungry, it was taking too long and that meant she had eaten nothing at all that day. She totally disregarded her earlier meals as she got impatient for the next one!

We might dismiss this story and say “Oh but she’s just a child. Children act that way”. And yes, you are absolutely correct! Only children would think that way. So why some of us are are still children in our thinking? Why are we quick to forget the good we have enjoyed from God, the past blessings just because the expected ones are yet to manifest? Ah! Little wonder the Psalmist had to have a ‘pep’ talk with himself, reminding himself to remember all what God has done for him

Psalms 103: 1-5 (New Living Translation)
1 Let all that I am praise the LORD;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the LORD;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

The Psalmist went on and on in the entire chapter reminding himself of God’s goodness, stating clearly all that He has done and thanking Him. The power in thanksgiving cannot be over-emphasised. Showing God how grateful you are for what you have and not forgetting what He has done is a sure way of stroking God’s ‘ego’ and releasing His blessings upon you! It is written clearly in His word!

Psalm 67: 5-7 (New Living Translation)
5 May the nations praise you, O God.
Yes, may all the nations praise You.
6 Then the earth will yield its harvests,
and God, our God, will richly bless us.
7 Yes, God will bless us,
and people all over the world will fear him.

 
 Can we have a little exercise this morning? What is that one thing you are so desperately in dire need of? Is it a job? Then thank Him this morning that you are employable! Do you need a new car? Then thank Him that at least you have an old one, or you can drive! Do you desire children? How about thanking Him for giving you a husband/wife in the first place!

There is an adage which says, Only if you have a head will you desire to put a cap on it! Gratitude to God brings altitude in life.

The hymnist wrote:
“Count your many blessings, name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done”

When I count my blessings, I am amazed!!!

Go on Friends, count your blessings. Are you amazed yet?

-By sis Deby