Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Dr. Hans Selye, “The true pioneer in discovering the impact of emotions on health,” “named vengeance and bitterness as the emotional responses most likely to produce high stress levels in human beings. Conversely, he concluded, gratitude is the single response most nourishing to health.”
I love the Dayenu, a portion of the Seder celebration at Passover which lists God’s gifts and our response:
“If He had rescued us from Egypt, but not punished the Egyptians, We should have been content!
If He had punished the Egyptians, but not destroyed their gods, We should have been content!
If He had destroyed their gods, but not killed their frist-born, We should have been content!
If He had killed their first-born, but not given us their property, We should have been content!
If He had given us their property, but not divided the Red Sea before us, We should have been content!
If He had divided the Red Sea for us, but not drowned our oppressors, We should have been content!
If He had drowned our oppressors, but not supplied us in the desert for forty years, We should have been content!
If He had supplied us in the desert for forty years, but not fed us with manna, We should have been content!
If He had fed us with manna, but not given us the Sabbath, We should have been content!
If He had given us the Sabbath, but not brought us to Mount Sinai, We should have been content!
If He had given us the Law, but not brought us to the Land of Promise, We should have been content!
If He had brought us to the Land of Promise, but not built us His temple, We should have been content!
If He had built us His temple, but not provided permanent salvation, We should have been content!
If He had provided permanent salvation throught the sacrifice of Jesus, but not indwelt us with His Holy Spirit, We should have been content!”
But, Praise the Lord! For God has provided us with it all and His power to succeed!
Reading this list always puts me in a profound attitude of gratitude.
Tags: attitude of gratitude, Dayenu, Gratitude, health, Passover, Seder
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Sunday, April 4th, 2010
It’s passover week. During the origional struggle between God and Pharoah, God made it very clear that He considers the first fruits of human endeavor His. He took the lives of the first borns of all Egypt making the point, and yet in His abundant grace He “passed-over” the first-borns of Israel who were consecrated to Him. We were commanded to celebrate Passover and remember -forever! God knows we tend to forget. Some things are just too important to relegate to that ignored pile. God knows we require effort to focus on things. Jesus was celebrating Passover (having the Seder feast) as His last supper (See Chapter 9). The last meal He ate was an act of consecration to God as He remembered that God had set His people free to serve Him and were no longer slaves to other gods. Jesus’ leadership required sacrifice. He knew that He was facing death.
I talk about this much in God for Everyone, but today, I’m reveling in the eternal freedom from the perminent kiss of death. I too have been resurrected (freed to live eternally in God’s presence in one form or another); By Christ’s overcoming of death and resurrection to eternal life. Christ made a way and I am following. It is still a daily struggle (and will remain so until He returns again to set things right – see chapter 10); but it is so worth it. Especially on days like today – it is far and away the most beautiful spring I’ve ever experienced here this year, and I am surrounded by the beauty and fragrance of overwhelming blooms; it is a quiet, peacefully light-grey morning and I am obediently focusing on God’s choice to overcome death and offer abundant-life to me (also in chapter 10) . The gratitude consumes me and I am thankful beyond words that though I face a death of my own desires daily and fight Satan’s fears constantly, there is an overcoming power that is at work in me and I am noticing it. I am one day closer to an eternity in perfection with a God who left no stone unturned in searching for a way to bring me into union with Divinity.
Tags: last supper, Passover, resurrection, sacrafice, Seder
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