Remembering with Thanksgiving

Virginia Engel Hess

     Yesterday, my husband and I were discussing the article I had written concerning prayer and just how much my mother had influenced my life.  I asked a simple question, "Why did I not recognize the depth of my mother's faith until now?"  Then, I answered my own question.  The difference was that when I was young I was seeing things through eyes dimmed by the sin nature.  Now I see with the eyes of faith and God has reminded me of all the seeds my mother planted in my heart for which I am grateful.
     Growing up in the small community of Holgate, Ohio, my mother was the daughter of a farmer/Reformed lay preacher who loved the Lord with all his heart.  I well remember my grandfather reading the Bible to me instead of story books, and I can still see him kneeling in prayer before he took his daily nap.  He died in a tragic car/train crash when I was six years old.  The devastating loss shook my mother to the core.  Only four years before, she suffered a breakdown at the loss of my baby sister Rebekah who died several hours after birth.  Now she was faced with yet another loss.  However, her faith sustained her even through this trial.
     Many times I would find her reading the Psalms as she told me she had a good deal of comfort from them.  She encouraged me to read them and pray them as she had done.  She was faithful to church attendance and made certain that both my sister and I were in Sunday School and confirmation classes.  The hours she spent just talking to me about things that troubled me or hurt me cannot be counted, and always, she suggested that I pray about those things.
     When I was stricken with Bulbar Polio at the age of seven, she and my father put their lives on hold to be with me while I was hospitalized.  They spent countless hours working with me when I came home to help rehabilitate me.  In fact, mother spent many hours grinding up food so I could eat since my throat muscles had been damaged.  Once again,  her faith carried her through and enabled her to manage the daily load.  We had frequent conversations when I was older about what it was like when I was so sick.  She always remarked about how God had brought me through this.
     While I recall all this so vividly now, it was like looking through a translucent glass at the time.  I heard my mother's call to faith.  I went to church with her.  I memorized portions of the catechism, and I sailed through confirmation class and the examination by the elders.  I prayed the Psalms in my room as she had suggested, and I loved singing hymns.  However, my heart had not yet awakened to the call of God through Christ.  In Reformed circles, we call it regeneration.  It is the moment when God calls that dead person from the grave of sin to a new life in Christ.  When my appointment time came to hear the Good News with unclogged ears, I heard Him call and accepted with joy.  Thus began my own "pilgrim's progress" as I journey towards my eternal home.
     Scripture describes my condition and the condition of all who do not know the Lord:
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
New International Version (NIV)
"3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."  However, God called me to Himself at just the right moment in my life and used all the seeds planted by my mother and father through the years.  For this, I am humbled and thankful.
     Now, as I stand looking back, I see where I was and how black my sin had become.  No I was not as bad as I could have been.  In fact, society would think I was quite moral, but my heart was coated with sin until the Lord replaced it with a new one.  Where once I was blind, I now see more clearly each day just how the Lord had been leading me, and how He had provided for me parents who loved me.  While my mother and father were not perfect (which they would readily admit even as I was not a perfect parent), yet they provided me with spiritual nurture and guidance.  My mother taught me many things about faith so that when the Lord called me to Himself, I responded.
     When we are dead in our trespasses and sins, we look through veiled eyes as I did.  We cannot see or appreciate those around us who share the "Good News".  However, when God calls us from our death slumber in sin, our eyes are opened.  We see not only who God is and rejoice in His salvation, but we come to realize as the years go by just how marvelous His work in us has been as He used parents, friends, neighbors and others to prepare us for that moment.  Ephesians 2:4-6 says:
"…4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,…"  How great a work He has done, and how much thanksgiving we owe to Him and those who sowed into our lives.
     Each day, God brings more rich memories to my heart, and I appreciate the way in which my mother, father, and others poured into my life.  I see now what an influence godly parents have on their children, and I am thankful.  Two thoughts as I close come to mind.  First, take time to say thank you to those who have sown in your life whether they are parents, pastors, friends, or neighbors.  If you are a Christian, it is because God has called you to Himself, and the seeds planted by those faithful people have come to fruition by the grace of God.  Secondly, we must also take time to sow in the lives of our children as well as those with whom we have contact.  We are commissioned to do this by the authority of Jesus Christ both in word and deed.  May God help us to be faithful ambassadors in the lives of others so we may bring glory to Him.  Selah!

From our house to yours....Happy Thanksgiving!  May the love of Christ richly bless you and those you love!

Without Ceasing

   

 "How on earth can I pray all the time?" I asked my mother.  We had been discussing the verses of I  Thessalonians 5:17-18 which reads:  "Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  She reminded me that all prayer does not have to be verbal.  We can pray quietly within our own minds.  This was a new concept for me.  I always thought you had to pray out loud or it didn't count.  In addition, I could not fathom how we could give thanks in all circumstances.  There are times when things were not going well, so was I supposed to be thankful to God for that?  Once again, mother patiently explained to me that we are to be thankful in all circumstances but not necessarily "for" the circumstances.  She helped me understand that prayer is an essential part of our daily lives.  This was just one of our many long conversations while I was studying the catechism around the age of twelve in preparation for church membership.
     As we continued our discussion, we turned our attention to "The Lord's Prayer" which we routinely said in our church service each week.  I wondered about why we had to memorize this prayer and why we said it each week.  My mother told me that it was the perfect prayer.  The Lord Jesus Christ gave it to His disciples as a model of how to come before the Father.  The first words of the prayer offer praise and recognition to God.  Then, it demonstrates our trust in God to meet our daily needs.  From there, we have opportunity to receive forgiveness as well as give it.  Finally, we are asking God to keep us from evil and temptation before ending with giving Him all glory and power.  When we recite this prayer, we are speaking the words given us by our Lord.  My mother explained that if we concentrate on what we are saying rather than merely reciting the prayer it will be fresh for us each time.  All of this made sense to me, and I am so grateful for a mother who took the time to talk with me concerning the things of the Lord.
     Since those early days of discussing prayer with my mother, I have learned to pray without ceasing by using my time wisely.  Instead of turning on the radio when I drive somewhere or talking on a cell phone, I pray for the needs of others.  I praise God for the beauty of the day.  When I go to work, I often run across people who need prayer.  Sitting at my desk, I often lift up a silent prayer for that person that God will meet them in their situation.  While I walk or exercise in the early part of the day, I pray as well.  Getting my exercise has been getting close to the Lord time too.  There are countless opportunities throughout every day to talk with God.
     If truth be told, I still struggle with giving thanks in all circumstances, but I have learned that God never wastes any trial.  He has much to teach us and what Satan means for evil the Lord turns for our good and growth.  With that in mind, I can thank Him.  After all, God is working to mold us into the likeness of His dear Son and that requires many different avenues to bring about change.  The only reason it is painful is because our old flesh wants to cling to sin.
     When it comes to "The Lord's Prayer", I find myself looking forward to it.  One of my favorite phrases is "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  In light of all that is happening in the world today, this is such an important petition.  We want God's Kingdom to come and for Him to set right our sin sick world.
     Prayer is a privilege.  The sovereign God and Creator allows us to commune with Him on a daily basis.  We have the opportunity to come before His throne with all our praises as well as our petitions.  Prayer is also a great blessing because it changes us as we spend time with God.  If only we would stop wasting time complaining and devote that time to talking with our Lord, we would find relief and answers.  Therefore, let us be a people of prayer and especially during this week of Thanksgiving, but we must not stop there.  Rather, let us be a people of unceasing prayer and watch what God will do as we lift our voices to Him.  Selah!

The Simplicity of Thankfulness

 

Branson at his 6th birthday party

 Thanksgiving is fast approaching but I had it early today when I saw a video of our oldest grandson walking across a large room to the applause and cheers of well wishers at Special Stars.  As many of you know, our grandson was born with complicated and rare neurological issues.  Some thought he might never walk, but there it was in a short 14 second video - our grandson walking across a room.  How often we underestimate those with special needs and what God can do in their lives and in ours.
     I am a fervent believer that God does not make any mistakes.  His ways are perfect and even though some are born with bodies that don't function in the manner that we expect or follow a certain timetable for development yet they are precious in His sight.  Life, all life, from the unborn to the aged and in every place in between is to be cherished, loved and protected.  I wish I could say our world culture has done this but we have only to turn on the news to know otherwise.  Whether it is an aged person with Alzheimer's or a special needs child, their life is sacred in the eyes of God.
     Having walked ten years with my mother through the pain of Alzheimer's Disease, I know firsthand how much time and energy go into taking care of someone who is unable to do things for themselves; yet, through it all, I learned thankfulness.  God taught me love in the crucible of heartache.  Those of you who know or work with those who have dementia are aware that it is a slow downward spiral, but during this time, I came to love my mother more than ever before.  Her life was a blessing to me. God taught me to be thankful for the little moments that would come when she would recognize me or smile in a knowing way.  Her mind and body were slowing down, but her spirit was intact.  I rejoiced in singing hymns to her and praying with her and for her.
     While my mother's illness decreased her ability to function, our grandson's abilities are growing with the time and patience of his parents who have diligently sought to provide him with every means to grow and mature.  However, at the heart of all their efforts is their love for Jesus Christ which gives them persistence, love and amazing perseverance.  With them, our whole family rejoices in

every little victory because we see God behind every achievement no matter how big or small.
     When the world looks at a special needs child, they often say, "Oh, you poor dear family.  This must be so hard for you."  I know it was that way when I cared for my mother, but what they do not know is that Christ is glorified in and through their lives.  I was changed when I served my mother.  Going through the pain of loss while at the same time coming to love her more was the way in which God was at work in both of us.
     All too often, we are not thankful for the small victories of life.  We take so much for granted.  A heart of gratitude starts when we begin to look at how the Lord brings good out of what the enemy has meant for evil.  We must develop eyesight that looks beyond our circumstances and sees the many blessings we have through eyes of faith in Him who is Sovereign over all.
     Thanksgiving is coming, but I have had mine already in seeing our grandson walk!  In that accomplishment, I see God's handiwork all over it.  Begin today to look for the victories even in hardship and see that we have a great Lord and God at work.  Psalm 107:1 tells us:  "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!"  May this be our theme song as we prepare for Thanksgiving.  Selah!