McMinnville Seventh-day Adventist Church

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Pastor's Corner - Gratitude as an Attitude

Albert Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” The first seems to describe a secularist and the second a born-again child of God. Or alternatively, could the first not simply be a skeptical adult, who has learnt to distrust life and people in general, and the second, a child, who is still untainted with distrust and views the world with wonder and trustful naiveté? I am reminded of another Person’s words of wisdom, someone much smarter than Einstein, who said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

If I see everything as a miracle, as Einstein said, then would I not also give God the glory for everything? And if I give God the glory for everything, what would there be for me to boast about? And if there is nothing for me to boast about, then it would surely prevent me from patting myself on the back and from viewing life through the lens of my own arrogant, self-centered perspective. This in turn would prevent me from falling into the trap of a legalistic, self-righteousness attitude.

If everything is a miracle, then I have everything to be thankful for – life, health, peace, money, food, a home, family, friends, happiness, and so much more. What more do I want? Nothing . . . because if everything is a miracle, then gratitude would be my attitude!

What am I personally thankful for? I am thankful for a loving church family who so graciously welcomed Bev and I to our new church home in McMinnville. Secondly, for God who provided us with a new house and helped sell our other one – an unexpected miracle that was all wrapped up in seven weeks! Thirdly, for pastoral needs and challenges that keep me humble and depending on Jesus as my Counselor and Friend. I want to be a praying pastor. Will you join me in becoming a praying church family?

- Pastor Jerry Joubert