WINTER was thought to be over, and after all, a snow came, and it seemed just as disappointing, as the first snow of the season was received with gladness and delight.
All things should be received with thanksgiving by those who know the Lord, for we know that important scripture,
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Eph. 5:20.
The people of the world do not think of thanking God for anything. They sit down and eat their food even, without thanking God; just like the poor dumb brutes.
The cow knows who feeds her, and the chickens know the one who comes so kindly with their feed in a pan for them to eat out of when the snow is on the ground, and they express their thankfulness as well as they know how. We know that God, the Creator, is the giver of everything, so we should give thanks to Him, and remember too, the great love He had for us to give His only Son to die in our stead, then we can say, seeing He loved us so much, that all things, pleasing or painful; dark or bright, must be the very best for us, and therefore we may thank Him for all things. Nothing can happen without His allowing it, for He is all powerful, and He loves us too much to allow anything that would not be for our good.
“IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS: FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU.” 1 Thess. 5:18.
This may seem strange to some, as it seemed strange to a little boy whose mother burned him. He gave a’ great scream, and said,
“Naughty mamma.”
What do you think of that? Was the mother’s judgment best, or the boy’s? I expect some of you would say, like the little boy, “Naughty mamma”, but that boy is grown up now, and I know he thinks his mamma did the best thing for him and feels thankful to her for it.
Now, I will tell you why this happened. This little boy had a great desire to play with fire, and his mother had punished him again and again, and had told him of the awful danger of his burning to death, and burning down the house, but he would not obey, so she told him one day that if he did that again, she would burn him, so that he would know what a terrible thing it is to be burned. He paid no attention even to that warning, for he was soon at it again. He climbed up and reached the box of matches, and was striking them on the box, and watching them burn, so she took them from him, and lit one, and touched his hand with it, and that cured him, for he never wanted to play with fire again.
Was it not love on the part of the mother to give him a little burn like that, rather than have him burn to death, as many children have done?
After all, she was not a naughty mamma, but a loving mamma. So it is with all God’s dealings with us, and we therefore should give thanks in everything, and for everything!
ML 03/05/1922