Thankful For The Air I Breathe
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I choose to reflect on the things in this life that are important to me; the things I am most thankful for. Family and friends always come to the front of my list, and I’m sure that you would probably agree with that. But through the ministry I do, I’ve come to have a greater awareness to be thankful for things we take for granted, like the air that we breathe. The Bible says in the Book of Acts, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else (Acts 17:24-25 NIV.)” I am thankful for the breath that the Lord gives me. I am thankful for the ability to breathe without any complication. You see, this simple thing is not so simple to many.
Through my son, Josh, I have developed a great love for a new friend, Nick, who I have not met yet, but I pray for daily. This young man struggles for every breath that he takes. He has a form of cystic fibrosis and is on the waiting list for a total lung transplant. His eleven month younger brother died of this same disease in 1998. I recently received this note from Nick: (I asked Nick's permission to share this with you.) “i have not heard from Emory, but I am active on the list. The next time i talk to them will probably be that call to make the BIG trip. I would be lying if i said i was not scared, and every time my phone rings i wonder if it is them calling for my Transplant. It could happen at any moment. I just pray that things go well and leave it in Gods hands. That is really all i can do at this point. I appreciate you keeping me in your thoughts and prayers.” This e-mail blessed me. This reminds me of the Apostle Paul’s writing in the book of 2 Timothy when he writes about Onesiphorus. It seems that Onesiphorus actually was the encourager to Paul. Paul writes, “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me— (2 Timothy 1:16.)” I pray for Nick and his household (often) as they face this difficult challenge. A very interesting note about the scripture above from Paul is the Amplified Bible translation. It reads: “May the Lord grant [His] mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, for he often showed me kindness and ministered to my needs [comforting and reviving and bracing me like fresh air]!” Nick’s e-mails embrace me like fresh air, even though this is the very thing with which he constantly struggles.
You may ask, “Robby, how is this young man’s note to you an encouragement? Why would the Lord put him and his family through something like this?” Do you know that I’ve asked myself those very questions many times, but praise the Lord for His promises in the Bible. The Bible says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28.)” We can’t possibly see, or understand His will in things like this, but there is a much bigger picture that is not in our focus. The Bible says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5.)” We shouldn’t try to make sense of things that seem to be only bad. Back to the scripture above from Acts 17 where it states that God gives breath for a reason; let me continue with the context: The passage goes on to say, “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us (Acts 17:26-27.)” Did you know that God determined this very moment and place for you? Do you know why? The Word (God) just told you! He did this so you would seek Him and reach out for Him and find Him, He is not very far from you.
Just yesterday, I was on a business call, and a dear lady in that business called me into her office to ask a prayer request. She told me that a close, very young cousin of hers suddenly passed away and left a wife and two young children. I was saddened to hear of this tragedy, but as she described the situation, she added that during the funeral the wife publicly accepted the Good News of Jesus Christ. The point I want to emphasize here is that she could have been very bitter toward God for the loss of her husband. My young friend seeking air to breathe could be very bitter toward God as well, but he is not. He states that he has left his destiny in God’s hand. So what do these two people have to be thankful for during this upcoming Thanksgiving week? There are many correct answers to this question. The first to mind would be for their loving family and friends, but let me add something that is even more important because it is eternal. Here is a good example of thanksgiving from Paul in the Book of Colossians: “We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard that you trust in Christ Jesus and that you love all of God's people. You do this because you are looking forward to the joys of heaven – as you have been ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours— (Colossians 1:3-6 NLT.)” The Good News changes lives! Have you accepted the Good News? Do you have the thankfulness in your heart that you are going to heaven, no matter what circumstance you are facing right now in this world?
An interesting thought came to me this week as I was thinking about the story of Joseph. This story is often referred to when explaining how seemingly bad things can turn out for the good. We can see the end result in Joseph’s life, how he became a leader in Egypt. But, what about my young friend gasping for air? Is his destiny ordained to be a great leader here in this world? I pray so, but as he said, “It’s in the Lord’s hand.” There is one thing for sure about my young friend Nick, and the new widow, that was brought to my attention from the story of Joseph. Do you remember how Joseph got out of prison? It was through the God given ability to interpret dreams. Do you remember what the first dream interpretations were about? Joseph interpreted the dreams of a two fellow prisoners. In Genesis chapter 40 the Bible says, “Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined (Genesis 40:1-3 NIV.)” The two men “just happened” to be sent to the same prison as Joseph. One morning when Joseph came to attend to them, he noticed that they were very sad. He asked why the sad faces, and they replied, “’We both had dreams,’ they answered, ‘but there is no one to interpret them.’ Then Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams (Genesis 40:8)."
The chief cupbearer told his dream first, and Joseph interpreted that in three days this man would be fully restored to his former position. Upon hearing the good outcome of the chief cupbearer, the chief baker then asked Joseph to interpret his dream. Unfortunately for the chief baker, the result was not so favorable. Joseph told him that in three days, he would die. Now here is what I call my “interesting thought” about this story (follow me now): In our minds, the way we see things in this world, we immediately think that the chief baker received the bad deal in this story, but maybe not. Perhaps You and I are the chief cupbearer, and we do go through some trials, but they are only short-lived, like his short stay in prison, and we go on about our business again, not giving much thought about being thankful. You see the Bible says that Joseph asked the chief cupbearer to remember him (to be thankful for Joseph’s help.) Joseph says, “But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison (Genesis 40:14.) But the chief cupbearer forgot about Joseph; the Bible says, “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him (v. 23.)” Do we ever forget about being thankful? It often seems that when we need a little help, we’re glad to ask, but when things turn around for us, we forget. The Israelites forgot during good times on their exodus from Egypt: The Lord says, “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me (Hosea 13:6.)”
Now it seems that the bad deal went to the chief baker, because he was told that his life was soon to end. His life did end sooner than that of the chief cupbearer, but we don’t know the whole story (God’s ordained plan.) In my mind it seems that the chief baker drew the “short end of the stick,” but in the same way I can’t understand why my friend is so sick, or why this young family lost their dad/husband; there is always a bigger picture of things we can’t see. My customer’s conversation in her office gave me a glimpse of the bigger picture. This new widow realized that our time here on earth is limited for each of us through the sudden unexpected death of her husband. Perhaps the chief baker, upon hearing of his limited time here on earth, asked Joseph to tell him more about his God. Perhaps in this three-day period, the chief baker came to know the Lord in the same manner that Joseph knew Him. Jesus explains this concept to us by His parable found in the Gospel of Luke. Much like the unthankful chief cupbearer, there was a man that had plenty of things here on earth. He had so many things he decided to build bigger buildings to hold them all. Then he says, “And I'll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’ (Luke 12:19.)” This guy thought that he was taken care of, and that he had plenty of time to later think about the Lord. This was not the case. Then Jesus says, “’But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself ?' "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich (thankful) toward God (Luke 12:20-21.)" We generally don’t know the time of our deaths in this life, but if we did know the exact moment, would we take the time to get right with the Lord? There is a heaven and an eternal life either with the Lord, or away from all Light. So perhaps the chief baker actually received the better deal.
I pray for Nick to live a very long and healthy life. I know that he will always know where to place his thanksgiving for each and every breath that he takes. Most young men who are in their twenties, like I did when I was that age, think that they will live forever, and prefer to “take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” But my young friend realizes how precious our limited time is here, and he is right with the Lord. The Lord has blessed him by calling him to be one of His own. This is a much better deal than that of a young man (like a chief cupbearer) who goes through a short trial, but forgets about being thankful to the One who “gives all men life and breath and everything else.” Suddenly his life is cut short without ever coming to know the Lord. It “seems” that Nick has the bad deal here, but does he?
During this Thanksgiving period, be thankful for not only the things that you have, but be thankful for the breath that you take. I know that many are having difficult times right now. Some are without jobs, some are dealing with illnesses and injuries, and many are dealing with relationship issues. But, I’m telling you that these “seem” to be the bad deal in our lives right now. The Apostle Paul tells us to, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19.) Notice that Paul tells us to be thankful in all of our circumstances, because if we are not, we WILL put out the Spirit’s fire. This is when we begin to forget where our blessings come from. I pray that this lesson encourages your Spirit’s fire, and during this beginning of our holiday season, you are very thankful to our Maker for the very breath that you take. Keep your trust in the Lord. His plan is much bigger than you can possibly see!
Robby
Send Nick a personal word of encouragement by clicking this link. (Tell him that you are praying for him and his family.) All messages will be sent directly to his personal e-mail address.
