Guess who is coming to dinner or Guess whose home you will end up in. In our church all congregants are invited to sign up as hosts or guest and you can imagine the surprise and enjoyment as you try to get to know each other and enjoy the time together.
Last evening I had such a wonderful time at the home of Charmaine and Wikus, a couple i had not had the opportunity to meet during our Sunday services. Around the table was a mixture of people you didn’t know, people you were starting to build a relationship with, people you had seen in church and even started greeting but never had the chance to talk to and get to know.
In the two times I have participated I have met and connected with people I would not have in the normal Sunday service and this is important for I have only finished a year in East London. And I am grateful, truly grateful.
A year ago I was medically retired from working and moved back home to East London. I missed my friends and church in Cape Town. I decided to find a home in Christ in East London and committed myself to Everyday People. At first I just went but as I have made an effort and a conscious decision to be involved and build relationship God has blessed me with new friends, new sisters and brothers to share and be real about the joys, the challenges and even the quite difficult to understand circumstances of being loved by God and loving God.
I say difficult at times to understand because I am 41 years old, literally saved from death by God. Walking and fully functioning by His grace and mercy. Now gratefully enjoying faith in a family provided by Him. Yet I am not working and cant work because of a Taxi accident I was in when I was 19 years old.
The last part of not being able to cope with working I don’t quite understand but then I remember a Holy God came down and died for me. Then I am grateful .
I remember how He has provided for me all my life then I am grateful. Then I remember that when I could not physical cope with work He has provided a salary till I fully retire. Then I am grateful.
Sometimes i am tempted to believe that the love He has must fall short. For surely He can heal me surely He can provide a job. Then I remember how imperfect I am and how I have been forgiven, redeemed, delivered and transformed then I am really grateful.
You know when pain comes and financial debt collectors are always emailing or messaging I want to cry Yhini Bawo ndincede (Oh my Father please help). Then I remember that this will pass also for we have been promised a better life both now and after death. Then I am truly grateful.
What’s this all about, last night in talking and sharing I whined about how can I be walking with a crutch when my Father was able to make me walk from a wheelchair. And I realised how ungrateful that sounded, human as it is. BUT look up and focus on Him and you see just how grateful you should be.
Oh there is so much I would like to share with you on why I should be grateful but that would require a book. My encouragement today is that each and everyone of us would take time to lookup and write that book on how grateful we are for who God is and the amazing things He has done in all our lives that outshine the things or circumstances we don’t quite understand sometimes.
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