The Weekly Encourager – April 2, 2014 – Where's the Beer?

Years ago, we held an Open House party for friends and family to come see our new house. One of my co-workers had recently married, so naturally we invited her husband, too, although we hadn't met him yet. I stood at the front door to greet guests as they arrived. When my colleague and her new husband arrived, she greeted me warmly, but I was blown away by her husband. As soon as he arrived, he brushed past me right through to the kitchen, saying, “Where's the beer?” He did not even say “hello” or “nice to meet you” or “thank you for inviting us” or anything of the sort. He did not even smile. His only concern was to have his own desire met as quickly as possible, without any interference from anyone else. Unfortunately for him, we knew that several of our guests objected to alcohol, so we had decided not to serve any alcohol at that party. Was he disappointed!

If you've been reading along for the past few weeks, you know that I've been thinking about thankfulness. That person's behavior was a picture of ungratefulness. He called himself a Christian, but my first impression of him was anything but. If one of my non-believing relatives had seen his behavior and then learned that he was a Christian, I doubt that they would have found the gospel any more attractive. Remembering that incident this morning, I thought, it's easy to criticize this man's behavior, but how often have I approached the Lord in the very same way?

Our loving Heavenly Father is hosting a permanent Open House. Every time I read the Scripture, it's an invitation to pause and enter His house of prayer, but how often do I toss His invitation away? When I do enter the door of prayer, do I rush through the opening without so much as a “glad to see you” or “thank You for inviting me” so I can get right to what I want from Him? In many ways, I am just as selfish as that guest.

There is nothing wrong with asking and even crying out to the Lord with our heart-felt needs. The Bible encourages us to do just that. Yet there are many more references to offering praise and thanksgiving to God when we address Him. I believe that if I have only five minutes to pray, four of them should be spent in praise and thanksgiving, and only one in requests. My heart should be so overflowing with awareness of God's goodness, mercy, and love, that I can't help but thank Him, no matter what's happening in my life! I should be so confident that He is caring for my every need, that my list of wants is but an afterthought. After all, I may want beer, but He may have a different beverage in mind, and it will be better for me at that time. Instead of “Where's the beer?” it should be “How kind You are, Lord. Thank You for inviting me into Your home. I've been looking forward to this party all day.”

I thank God for giving me the great blessing of our church Women's Retreat this past weekend. Our theme was “Living Thankful Lives.” I prepared for the Retreat by reading and thinking about the topic, and the Lord graciously worked in my heart during the weekend. Now that it's over, many of us are doing The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge, a Bible study in the back of DeMoss's book, Choosing Gratitude. One of the things the Spirit brought to my mind at the Retreat during a personal time of reflection was Psalm 100, so I will close with that, in the NASB translation.

PSALM 100

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving,
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him; bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And His faithfulness to all generations.

There's an Open House today. Are you going?
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