“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying; “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:13-14
Some people fail to find good in anything. I recently heard a story about two farmers watching it rain and the positive farmer (PT) thanked God for all the moisture and the negative farmer (NF) complained that they would probably get too much rain and ruin the corn. The sun came out the next day and PF thanked God for the beautiful warm sun that He provided, and NF said he just knew this heat would scorch the corn. One day PF invited NF to go duck hunting and took his bird dog along. They were in a little boat in a small pond and a group of ducks got up. PF shot one and his dog jumped out of the boat and walked on the water to where the duck was floating, gently picked it up, walked back to the boat, dropped the duck in the boat, and hopped in. NF said, “I should have known it, your dog can’t even swim!”
I’ve known and worked with people like that. I’ve heard people come up to my Trinity HOPE table at conventions and complain that it doesn’t do any good to keep feeding Haitian children in that poor country; it will never make a difference. I give thanks for Trinity HOPE because I have seen what a difference feeding children attending Christian schools in Haiti does make, in them and in their country. Our Heavenly Father is at work in their lives and ours as well. Trinity HOPE is like that dog walking on water, conserving his energy, doing his job in the best way possible and bringing all the Glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am closing today with the words from the Christmas hymn ‘Now sing we, now Rejoice’ that were written by an unknown author in or around 1300.
“Now sing we, now rejoice, now raise to heaven our voice; He from whom joy streameth poor in a manger lies; not so brightly beameth; the sun in yonder skies. Thou my Savior art! Thou my Savior art! Come from on high to me; I cannot rise to Thee; cheer my wearied spirit, O pure and holy Child; through Thy grace and merit, blest Jesus, Lord most mild, Draw me unto Thee! Draw me unto Thee! Now through His Son doth shine the Father's grace divine. Death o'er us had reigned through sin and vanity; He for us obtained eternal joy on high. May we praise Him there! May we praise Him there! Oh, where shall joy be found? Where but on heavenly ground? Where the angels singing with all His saints unite, sweetest praises bringing in heavenly joy and light. Oh, that we were there! Oh, that we were there!”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.