Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you”.
Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
Some time ago, I had the opportunity to go to Cuba. One of the Pastors of that beautiful island opened his house to me. He had a lovely family. His wife and his two daughters are some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. The Cuban people do not have much of anything, but what they lack in material goods they make up for in generosity and care. The Pastors' two young daughters moved out of their bedroom so I could stay in it.
Towards the end of my stay, the pastor's wife asked me to come into her bedroom. With tears in her eyes, she told me, “I want to testify of the goodness of our God for us. A lot of people on the island don't have many clothes, but look at all we have." She opened an old wardrobe and showed me how each member of the family had at least three sets of clothes. Her gratitude towards God's generosity humbled me. I immediately thought of my closet, full of so many clothes, shoes, and purses. However, there are days when I have a hard time finding what to wear.
Today I would like us to search our hearts and see if we truly appreciate everything we have. Because we live in a materialistic world and the media trains us to want more and more things, we sometimes give way to foolishness, feeling that God has not abundantly blessed us because we do not have a bigger house, the latest technology, a new car, or the latest appliances for our homes.
The reality is that most of us do not appreciate our blessings, as we should. Sometimes we take things like having a refrigerator full of food and closets full of clothes for granted. God has certainly fulfilled His promises. He has never left us or forsaken us. We have everything we need today. For some of us, it might be time to start appreciating what we have and thanking God for His generosity.
We may not have everything we want in life, but we sure have more than we deserve. If we are not worried about what we will eat or what we will wear today and have a roof over our heads, we are in better shape than many people around the world are. Every time I think of that little wardrobe in Cuba and the few items it had, I have an entire praise and worship service in my closet.
When was the last time you thanked God for what is in your fridge, garage, or closet? Perhaps it is time to take stock of God's goodness, and there is no better time than now to shout praises and dance for joy because God has surely been good to us. Go ahead enjoy your dance!
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