“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky” Philippians 2:14-15
Back in the day, I was blessed to have been able to spending time watching my grandson when he was a little guy and I still was living 8 hours west in Nebraska. I still recall it struck me while watching him on the floor, that there was a lot of enjoying, complaining, enjoying, complaining and how well he takes after me; and possibly some of you who are reading this.
Aren’t we all just natural complainers? There’s quite a bunch of us card carrying complaining residents here at the Facility. It is in our genes, our sinful genes. Our Triune God gives us everything that we truly need to exist; food, shelter, clothing and family. He takes care of us each and every day but we still find time to complain about something. Now I complain about phantom pains where my legs used to be. When I had a job, I would find something to complain about my work. Children complain about their parents, husbands complain about their wives and wives about their husbands. People in the pews complain about their pastors and politicians; they complain about everything. From the Old Testament to the New Testament to today, man has always found something to complain about.
My grandson wanted me to hold him, put him down, hold him, put him down, hold him and I wanted to shout at him “Miles, what do you want?” but of course all he heard me say was “blah, blah, blah.” Miles was not the perfect grandchild, I am not a perfect grandfather and his parents are not perfect parents either but Our Heavenly Father loves us just the way we are. He does not always give us what we may want but rather gives us what we need.
The children in the attached photo are from Cap Haitian and they are getting their Trinity HOPE lunch. They don’t need pizza, chicken nuggets, corn on the cob or hamburgers; they need food. This meal will provide them with all the nutritional elements that their young bodies need; their teachers provide them with a message of Hope of their risen Savior and a Heavenly Father who loves them and continues to provide for them. Let’s try to ease up on the complaining today.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as 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.
May God be with you,
Jay