One morning recently my wife said to me, “I used to think that people who did the same thing everyday were boring. But I’ve come to realize how wonderful it is to do simple things: to get a good night’s sleep, to have breakfast at home, to have good food to eat and meaningful work to do, and to come home to your own place, to sit and rest at the end of the day. These things are all gifts.” I could only agree with her. I confess to having much the same thoughts myself.
Last Sunday night after the evening worship service, I was at home in my chair, sharing a bottle of ginger ale with my grandson, who was sitting on my lap. I’m always pretty spent by Sunday evening, but relieved, too: I got all three sermons done again this week! Yay! (Our daughter says that Sunday nights after church are the best time of the week in a preacher’s house.)
We’d had a bit of a surprise earlier that day: the plumbing had started backing up. Now that will complicate your life! But the plumber had promised to come in the morning, and we decided to take advantage of the showers at church before bedtime. (Bless whoever decided to put those in the building plans!) So there we were, just beginning to enjoy a slow Sunday night.
Suddenly we got a second surprise, a good one: from the kitchen, we heard a man’s voice. At first I thought my wife had got the plumber to come on Sunday night. (Hey: miracles can happen.) But then I recognized the voice of my son, and I said to my grandson: “That’s Uncle Josh!” Whereupon my grandson rocketed off of my lap and ran into the kitchen, shouting, “Uncle Josh! Good boy! You came home!”
Josh had surprised us with a visit before his classes started for the fall (he’s both teaching at a college and pursuing his doctorate at a seminary). So hugs and exclamations were exchanged all around, our daughter was called and she and her husband came over, and we sat around laughing and talking (and eating!) on into the evening. That night we had a full house, with both son and grandson sleeping safe and sound under our roof. God is good.
Looking around, I saw: the pillows scattered on the couch where some serious snuggling and cartoon watching had gone on; the piano bench pulled out where my son had been playing the piano; markers and papers on the floor in the corner where we have our grandson’s easel set up; and (thankfully!) a dishwasher full of clean dishes, because the plumber had come that day and got our pipes unclogged. And I looked at all of it and I thought: “Those are signs of happiness!” And I felt thankful to God.
I once read a comment by a Christian woman who had enjoyed great fame and success as a singer. Appreciative of all the trappings of a prosperous life, she nevertheless talked about a recent day when she’d played with her children, had coffee and talked with a good friend, and “pulled food from the earth” from her garden to prepare for her family. Those were the things, she said, that made her truly thankful to God…not hit records, the spotlight, and the applause of great crowds. (Isn’t it funny how so many people want so desperately to become rich and famous; and when they become rich and famous, they so desperately miss the days when life was simpler?)
Ecclesiastes 5:19 says, “Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and to rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.” Wealth in this verse means, not millions or billions of dollars, but “plenty, more than enough”. Good clothes to wear, good food to eat, a good bath and a good place to sleep, these are wonderful things. Anything above this is just incredible, really. Icing on the cake. Jesus said, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)
We don’t have to have a house and possessions like Donald Trump to be happy. In fact, all those things might very well prevent us from being happy. But we can all learn to find joy in the simple things God gives us.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor David