Surprised By Thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.(NIV)

Teaching Sunday School is a challenging yet rewarding task. At our church we teach six weeks on, six weeks off. Although, I love to teach, I also look forward to my time in the pew! The Sunday before Thanksgiving Day was my last Sunday to teach in my six-week unit. I am not proud of it but my attitude leaned toward, "I'll just get this day out of the way."

The lesson for this particular Sunday was a struggle because I had to find something else to do because I didn't particularly like the entire lesson suggested by our curriculum, about "Sharing our Blessings". The one thing I did like was the idea to make cookies with the class and take them to the local community kitchen. I needed a craft to occupy the children while the cookies were baking. I had an idea, and while I was creating a model of the craft they would do, the following thoughts crept into my mind: "Making the cookies won't work"; "It'll be too messy"; "We won't have time to do both activities"; "Do I want to be bothered stopping at the community kitchen?"; "I've got to get to my mother's for turkey dinner right after church." For some reason by the end of preparing my lesson I had finally decided, yes, we would make the cookies.

We made two dozen chocolate chip cookies (it wasn't too messy and we had ample time!), and packaged them with a special label. It was my job to deliver them. I had never been to the community kitchen and, to tell the truth, the thoughts of going frightened me. I mustered up the courage and in I went, cookies in hand. I was directed to the man in charge. When I told him I had cookies that my Grade 1-2 Sunday School class had made, I am sure I saw a tear in his eye. Many thanks were given and as I was leaving it was hard not to notice the people who had come there for a meal. Suddenly I felt our two dozen cookies weren't enough. When I got back to the van, my legs were shaking. I began thinking over my life and felt ashamed that I sometimes complain that I never have any new clothes to wear, or that our family needs a second vehicle, or that we can't renovate the house right this minute….

God didn't want me to leave that activity out of my Sunday School lesson. I was incredibly humbled and stood in awe of how many of God's blessings I take for granted. I thank God for this opportunity and I wanted to share it.

Prayer: Dear heavenly and gracious Father, we are humbled by your awesome greatness, and pray that we never take for granted your many gifts to us, great and small. Remind us, O Lord, that we are to share our blessings with all your children. Challenge us to walk closer with you than ever before. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share this devotional on Facebook     Like PresbyCan on Facebook