The Dark Continent of Africa, like a sealed envelope, became
gradually opened to Westerners and the gospel of Christ by men such as David
Livingstone. Even when he was too
ill to explore uncharted lands, the smoke of a thousand villages caught his eye
and affected his heart, so that he traveled to as many places as possible to
give them the good news of salvation.
When the news of Livingstone’s death reached the ears of a
twelve-year-old girl in Scotland, she determined that she too desired to take
the gospel to the unreached in Africa.
Mary Slessor would travel to Calabar, where she would become known as
“Mama” and “Queen.” She would hold
government positions, teach the natives to read, and would rescue African
children.
Twins especially were considered cursed and doomed to
die. But Mary spared their lives,
took them as her own, and raised them to serve God. From the heathen darkness of their culture they turned to
receive the light of the Gospel of Christ. Their plight of doom was exchanged with the privilege of
deliverance!
Doomed to utter desolation and destruction, we who once were
unsaved are like these twins whom Mary rescued. Now, God desires for us to raise twin attitudes in our lives
which are prepared to bring glory to him.
These are the attitudes of praise and thanksgiving.
Traveling throughout the Masai Mara on Kenya’s border with
Tanzania, my husband and I recently found ourselves surrounded by God’s
magnificent creative genius. What
human would have considered forming a hippo or framing an elephant, who eats up
to 350 kg a day? Which of us could
have tailored the cheetah, the wildebeest, the giraffe? Our God, who owns the cattle the world
over, is Designer of all. As such,
He needs nothing. And yet He
desires two beautiful attitudes from us, His children—the twins of praise and
thanksgiving.
The children of Israel called God the Lord. They came to Him with drink offerings,
with meat offerings, with valuable sheep and oxen from their folds. The tribal Masai people’s wealth is
likewise in their cattle. Women
collect cow dung to construct houses.
Men bring a dowry of cattle to purchase the bride of their choice. A savory Masai drink is blood and milk
mixed together, which one young Massai villager told us on our recent trip
would help make him “healthy and strong.”
God asks an interesting rhetorical question in Psalm 50:13:
“Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?” God neither “needs” anything that we
have, nor will He take from us that which is not offered of our own free will: “I
will take no bullock out of thy house, nor
he goats out of thy folds” (verse 9). It seems to me that what God really
desires is our hearts, for He states, “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy
vows unto the most High: And call
upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me”
(verses 14-15).
How can I make God’s wishes my own? How can I embrace God’s vision for
me--to view this world with a heart of praise to Him and thus daily present to
Him an offering of thanksgiving?
First, I can embrace a joyful attitude regardless of the
circumstance in which I find myself.
The Africans’ smiles, offered sincerely and regularly, speak of their
pervading sense of contentment.
Many live in three-room houses, with bare floors, little to no
furniture, and an outhouse in the backyard. Goats, chickens, and vegetables, placed behind fences around
their homes, are luxury items from which they receive many good things. They don’t own many outfits, and many
aren’t consumed by materialism. Yet they offer hearty welcomes and extend
meaningful gratitude about the common things of life. They joy in relationships and work with a song in their
heart.
Joy and thanksgiving often work hand in hand. By choosing thankfulness, I exchange an
inaccurate perspective on any circumstance in an instant. My heart can easily deceive
me into viewing life incorrectly.
Feelings of discouragement can be washed away by purposeful praise. Let
my life be characterized by what one author calls “thanks living.” She says, “Thanksgiving is good, but
thanks-living is better.” When it
is easier or feels natural to complain, make it a point to praise instead.
Second, I can give the Lord all of my heart. Such yielding is a moment by moment
decision. Discontentment zaps
joy. And yet, every daily experience--whether easy or challenging, expected or unpredicted--I can embrace as a gift from Him. As I obey in this crucial matter of surrender, I will more readily offer God what He so longs to hear: praise. Thus, I will fulfill my purpose on earth--to glorify Him!
As Mary Slessor raised twins for the Lord, may I likewise allow the twin attitudes of praise to God and surrender of self to glorify God in my life. As I yield myself to His way, I no
doubt will be able to watch Him put thanksgiving (or “thanks-living”) into my
heart and life, so that the theme of my
heart is blessing the Lord at all times, regardless of any external circumstance about me!
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