June 25

Beloved of Good Shepherd Parish,

Grace to you and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Jesus once told his disciples to go into town and look for a guy carrying a jar of water. When you find him, tell him the teacher sent you and the guy with the water jar will show you a room that has been prepared for the passover meal.

It’s a strange and wonderful set of directions. And the disciples do it!

The passover meal put very, very simply is about gratitude. It is an observance in which the people recall with great thanksgiving the deep generosity and protection of God that saved their lives during a hard time long ago. I like to think of the room where Jesus and his friends shared the passover meal right before he died as the Gratitude Room. So, the man with the water jar took them to the gratitude room.

Gratitude is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. When I get sideways and become certain that the sky is falling I can pause and make a gratitude list. In doing so I am reminded that I have made it to this moment by the sheer grace of God. My only response upon remembering that God has brought me this far is gratitude. When I let thankfulness flow into my mind, heart, and body I begin to feel better. I see the sky has not fallen, it is still in its place above my head. 

So, I’ve been thinking about the guy carrying the water jar, and now I am looking for him in my day to day life. The guy carrying the water jar is anything or anybody that reminds me how wonderfully God has taken care of me. Who or what can lead me to the room called gratitude? Look for the little signs, the pointers, the guy carrying the water jar and follow him to gratitude. You’re all but assured to have your day brightened. And with your day brightened you can see your way to help someone else, and that, being helpful, is the whole point.

Remember this always - God loves you, and I love you too!

Love is all,

Hendree+