Stream of Scripture

I have just been feeling this overwhelming sense of thankfulness and well-being the past couple of days.  It probably started when I spoke to my beautiful little sister yesterday and she reminded me how important it is to be thankful.  She told me a story of someone very dear to us experiencing extreme gratitude and knowing they are so loved by God despite much pain and very unhappy circumstances.  It really moved me that this individual is able to soak up these joys when it would be so easy to be bitter, complain and become overtaken with sadness.  I'm very proud of this person and so grateful that God has answered our prayers by being comforting and revealing himself.  I'm just bursting with excitement over this!

This reminds me of the fact that what we think about creates a reaction from our body, which directly influences how we feel.  I feel so much better when I am thinking about things I am happy about, things I enjoy, things I am thankful for, and things I'm looking forward to.  And there is a lot of that to go around in my little head!

Excuse my stream of consciousness, but the above answered prayer also reminds me that the Lord Jesus and our Father God are SO powerful and they care so much.  Which brings to mind some wonderful things from scripture...

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  And not one of them is forgotten before God.  Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:6-7

That's some perspective, isn't it?  God cares even about silly little birds, of which there are zillions?  He must REALLY care about me :)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock; and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8

We talked about this in fellowship last night - that when we pray, we can EXPECT and RELY on the fact that, if we are asking within the will of the Lord Jesus, he will answer!  But we can't just pray one time and give up.  The Word makes it clear that we have to PERSEVERE!  (See Luke 18, the parable of the persistent widow)

I love this passage also.  It, too, puts things in perspective for me.

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:15 - 23

Moral of the story: I want to know Christ for myself!