WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.000 Unending thanks. I wish my kids knew unending thanks. 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:10.000 No, they're pretty good to be fair. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:15.000 Like them, I was brought up to mind my P's and my Q's. 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:20.000 But generally, I think you'll all agree, we say thank you for something when we like it, 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:23.000 when we are pleased with what we receive. 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:28.000 Rarely do we say, thank you for this raw chicken I'm about to eat. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:35.000 We just don't. When things are bad, why would we be thankful for that? 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:42.000 But life, it's a funny onion. Life is up, life is down. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:47.000 So to be thankful for life's ups, I completely get. 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:53.000 But to be thankful for life's downs, not so much. 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:57.000 But thankfully, this is not what this reading is about. 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:04.000 It is not about knowing stress and sadness and being grateful and glad for it. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:08.000 No. It is understanding that you may have stress. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:13.000 You may have awful sadness, heartbreak. 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:19.000 But knowing in that, that God has you, that you can be grateful for. 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:26.000 It is about focusing on Him and not the waves that feel like they try to take us down. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:36.000 When we focus on Him and we praise Him, we are thanking Him because He is with us in the lows. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:43.000 When reading this psalm, the image of a puzzle piece, not fitting, came to mind. 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:45.000 But because of a recent experience. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.000 So the other day, I was doing a puzzle. 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.000 And this piece, would it fit? Would it work? 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:56.000 And I was convinced that was where it was going to go. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.000 And I tried. 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:02.000 And I must have spent about half an hour focusing on this piece. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.000 Can anyone else relate to that? 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.000 Convinced. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:13.000 But for that half an hour, what did I focus on? 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:15.000 Did I focus on the beautiful puzzle? No. 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:21.000 Did I focus on this piece that was either cut wrong, in the box, and it shouldn't have been. 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:25.000 Whatever the excuse, it was someone else's fault and not mine. 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.000 I lost my focus. 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:30.000 I'd stopped enjoying my puzzle. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:34.000 But how often is life like that? 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:43.000 Expectations, hopes, plans, experiences, relationships, decisions that do not go to plan. 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:47.000 What do we then focus on when that happens? 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:54.000 Or we see or we focus on maybe the fact that things are just not okay. 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:56.000 That it's not fair. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.000 That our plans have gone down the toilet. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:00.000 That our hearts are in pieces. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:02.000 Our sleep is broken. 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:05.000 And for some of us, that was just January. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:09.000 So to respond with sadness. 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:14.000 To respond to hardship with heartbreak is such a natural thing. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:18.000 In our reading, we hear, they cried out. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:19.000 It went wrong. 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:20.000 They cried out. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.000 It's okay to cry out. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:29.000 But praise God, we are here today because we worship a supernatural God. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:33.000 And in him, there is another way to respond. 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:34.000 There is hope. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:35.000 There is purpose. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:38.000 And boy, is that something to be thankful for. 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:46.000 With our theme of unending thanks and our reading, we hear of major distress. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:04:01.000 Hopelessness, deep depression, darkness, life ebbing away, rivers turning to deserts, storms taking over, complete distraction, I'm still going, ruined loss, being blinded by error, affliction. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.000 And that was just one psalm. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.000 It's not great, is it? 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:13.000 There is not much to be thankful for in that. 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:20.000 And sadly, those experiences are not just contained to that psalm, are they? 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:21.000 There is not much to be thankful for in that. 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:22.000 There is not much to be thankful for in that. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:29.000 So my hope for you today is right now, none of you can relate to that. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:32.000 I would love that dearly for every one of us. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:35.000 However, you might. 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:43.000 And sadly, I expect quite a few of us in this room can relate to that. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:50.000 And if not you, maybe that person that barked at you in the supermarket when you bought your milk, 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:58.000 this morning, if not them, it will be loved ones, it will be friends, family, it will be colleagues. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.000 They will know that sadness and that darkness. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:15.000 We think of Martin's prayers in the two topics, Ukraine, Turkey, such sadness, such darkness. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.000 So what should our response to the darkness be? 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:20.000 Are you ready? 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:25.000 We need to eat it up for breakfast. 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:28.000 I am so serious. 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:34.000 We need to give thanks to God, for he is good. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.000 His love endures everything forever. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:42.000 We need to take advice and encouragement from the psalm. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:46.000 We are either up or down right now. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:54.000 So, to those of us who are up, to those of us who feel redeemed, who know they're redeemed, 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:57.000 well, that's quite an amazing thing, isn't it? 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:06.000 To be redeemed, we've exchanged on what I believe is one of the biggest, best deals ever. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:11.000 We have exchanged our despair for hope. 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:16.000 We have exchanged darkness for light. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:18.000 That is amazing. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:24.000 So let's sing about it. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:26.000 Let's love our neighbours. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:32.000 If we are up and our loved ones are down, let's go love them. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:34.000 Let's sing about it. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:35.000 Let's care for them. 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:39.000 Because we know what it's like to be bashed and battered by the waves. 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:44.000 We, the redeemed, have to love our neighbour. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:45.000 We have to draw near. 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:47.000 We have to help. 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:52.000 We need to hold their hands in the wave and bring them to Jesus. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:53.000 Why? 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:55.000 Because this is what God asked us to do. 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:58.000 This is how Jesus taught us to live. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:01.000 By being his hands and his feet on earth. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:08.000 But for those of us who aren't feeling it. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:12.000 For those of us who are feeling pretty darn low. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:18.000 For those of us who are wandering, stuck in a loop, finding no way to settle. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:23.000 For us who feel in trouble, distressed, broken or near a broken point. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:25.000 Or that we feel like the waves are relentless. 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:28.000 Hold on. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:33.000 Hold on to God for dear life. 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:34.000 Turn to him. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:36.000 Turn to him. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:39.000 He longs to comfort you. 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:40.000 He adores you. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:41.000 He loves you. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:43.000 He will never leave you. 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:44.000 So turn to him. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.000 If you are feeling low, hear this today. 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:50.000 And know it's for you. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:55.000 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:58.000 And he saved them from their distress. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:01.000 He sent out his word and healed them. 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:03.000 He rescued them from the grave. 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:09.000 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love. 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:16.000 If you feel low today, you need to know this. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:21.000 That God loves you and he will never leave you nor forsake you. 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:22.000 So pray. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:23.000 Talk to him. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:26.000 Pray now where you're set or pray after the service with someone. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:34.000 So we're up, we're down and we're everything in between. 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:37.000 Our reading continues. 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:42.000 And we hear of all sorts of perils, struggles. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.000 Some things completely out of our hands. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:47.000 We could never have predicted it. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:54.000 But sometimes what takes our eyes off of God can be of our own making. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:01.000 The foes that we face at some point, maybe we chose. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:08.000 The distractions, the choices we gave too much weight to. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:15.000 Our rebellious ways we have made fools of ourselves, it says in the reading. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:18.000 But know this, God saves. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:19.000 He forgives. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:21.000 It is never too late to turn to him. 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:22.000 To say sorry. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.000 To ask for help. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:25.000 Help. 00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:28.000 So if you're sat here thinking, yeah, I've messed up. 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:31.000 Or yeah, I'm pretty distracted. 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:34.000 Do not lose hope. 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:36.000 Turn to God. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:43.000 And when you do thank him for his grace, give thanks for his unending love for you. 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:45.000 So give unending thanks. 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:48.000 Thank him that in the storm you didn't drown. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:54.000 Thank him that there is unending mercy, unending forgiveness, unending love, unending hope. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:56.000 And I bet you wish this would stop and end right now. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:58.000 No, I'm only kidding. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:05.000 But when you know that unending love, go tell your friends. 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:06.000 Go tell your neighbours. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:08.000 Go tell your colleagues. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:11.000 Because I can guarantee you they're not feeling it and they need to. 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:21.000 Life is nothing short of amazing. 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:22.000 Really. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.000 It is such a gift. 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:28.000 But rarely is it what we plan for. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.000 Never is it just, so-so. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:37.000 Never is it really kind of normal, is it? 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:45.000 But today we're sat here, we have air in our lungs, and we can start and thank God for that, right? 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:52.000 We worship an amazing God. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:55.000 We follow a radical son. 00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:58.000 And we live with the Holy Spirit guiding us. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:00.000 I thank God for that. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:05.000 Life always will be up and down. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:10.000 And as children of God, we know we are in the world, not of the world. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:25.000 So while we are in the world, while we know the ups and the catastrophic downs, let's not conform to the pattern of this world, but challenge it. 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:31.000 Let's seek God in everything and thank Him, because He is with us in everything. 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:38.000 In today's reading, we have read of darkness and despair. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:49.000 But we have also heard when people cry out that He is gathered, redeemed, led, loved with an unfailing love. 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:58.000 Satisfied the thirsty and the hungry, broken chains, performed wonderful deeds, healed, rescued, I'm still going. 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:06.000 Stilled storms, turned deserts into pools, increased blessings, lifted the lowly. 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:10.000 And that is true for every one of us. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:12.000 He is an amazing God. 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:18.000 So today, I want to encourage every one of us. 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:23.000 In life's ups and downs, the planned and the unplanned. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:29.000 Know that God is with you and praise Him. 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:34.000 But if you can't see Him. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:35.000 Yeah, I said that. 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:37.000 If you can't see Him. 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:41.000 If it is too dark right now. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:44.000 Just hear this. 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:47.000 God is for you. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:52.000 So who can be against you? 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:56.000 God is for you. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:57.000 God is for you. 00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:59.000 So who can be against you? 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:05.000 Know that in everything, God has and will work for the good of those He loves. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:21.000 And neither death, nor life, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything in all creation, 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:27.000 will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:40.000 So today, tomorrow, next week, give thanks to the Lord our God in the highs and in the lows. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.000 And in the lows. 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:44.000 Because He is in them with us. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:47.000 And His love endures forever. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.000 Amen. 00:13:49.100 --> 00:13:50.000 Amen. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:51.000 Amen. 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:52.000 Amen. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:14:21.980 Thank you.