The Healing of Grateful-ness
Pastor Joanie As we mentioned and brought before God on Sunday, our church community and the community of Dunn have experienced a lot of loss lately and there are many among us that are on the journey of grief. The journey of grief was not foreign to the psalmist. Though sometimes less familiar, many of the psalms in the Bible are psalms of lament. Some of these psalms share vivid imagery of one’s sorrow and grief. Take Psalm 6, for example,
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror. My soul also is struck with terror, while you, O Lord–how long? -Psalm 6:1-3
or Psalm 142
With my voice I cry to the Lord; with my voice I make supplication to the Lord, I pour out my complaint before him, I tell my trouble before him. When my spirit is faint, you know my way. In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look on my right hand and see–there is no one who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me. -Psalm 142:1-4
Sunday, we shared a beautiful service of healing. We acknowledged our loss and our hurt. We learned to embody our grief and stretch out our arms to God. We are encouraged, as the psalmist did to give words to our grief. In the words of the psalms, the author is reaching out to God, crying out to the Creator.
The pattern of many of the psalms of lament includes:
- A cry or expression of grief
- Acknowledgment of God
- Prayer for what is needed from God
- Recognition of God’s faithfulness
Bring me out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me. Psalm 142:7
The psalmist ends with a prayer and an expression of faithfulness to our Lord.
Our expression of grief can lead us to moments of thankfulness. There is gratitude for the life of the one we lost. There is gratitude for God’s faithfulness. There is gratitude for the lessons we have learned. There is gratefulness for the people that surround us and walk with us through our journey of grief. There are boundless expressions of our gratitude.
In Sunday’s service, Tom Wilson introduced us to a beautiful song, “Gratitude” by John Bucchino. I offer these lyrics of this modern psalm again for a moment of reflection. Our prayer is that our gratitude as a community may be an expression of our healing. May we be “truly grateful.”
I’ve got a roof over my head
I’ve got a warm place to sleep
Some nights I lie awake counting gifts
Instead of counting sheep
I’ve got a heart that can hold love
I’ve got a mind that can think
There may be times when I lose the light
And let my spirits sink
But I can’t stay depressed
When I remember how I’m blessed
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful
In a city of strangers
I’ve got a family of friends
No matter what rocks and brambles fill the way
I know that they will stay until the end
I feel a hand holding my hand
It’s not a hand you can see
But on the road to the promised land
This hand will shepherd me
Through delight and despair
Holding tight and always there
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful
It’s not that I don’t want a lot
Or hope for more, or dream of more
But giving thanks for what I’ve got
Makes me so much happier than keeping score
In a world that can bring pain
I will still take each chance
For I believe that whatever the terrain
Our feet can learn to dance
Whatever stone life may sling
We can moan or we can sing
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful
*The quote in the image above comes from the Disney movie “Mulan.”
Sunday Morning Small Group Series – Half Truths
We are exploring the truth behind common sayings, such as Everything Happens for a Reason, God’s Helps Those Who Helps Themselves, and Love the Sinner Hate the Sin. They sound Christian – like something you might find in the Bible. We’ve all heard them. Maybe we’ve even said them. They capture some element of truth, yet they miss the point in important ways. Discover the whole truth by comparing Christian cliches with the wisdom found in Scripture.
Sunday Mornings from 9:45 – 10:30 am
This Week at Hood
Wednesday, July 25, 11:00 am – Volunteer Opportunity, Serving Lunch to Veterans Affairs workers at Tart Park, Vyas Community Center
Wednesday, July 25, 1:30 pm – Prayer & Inspiration
Wednesday, July 25, 3:00 pm – Dunn Library Program/Puppet Show for children in the Fellowship Hall
Sunday, July 29, 11:00 am – Worship – Faces of Our Faith: The Penitent Thief, Luke 23; including a Blessing for our campers
Upcoming Events
*Get your pens and paper ready—we want to flood our campers with cards and letters while they are at Camp Caroline. Cards need to be in the mail on or before Monday, July 30th in order to reach our campers in time. Use the address below:
Camper’s Name & Name of Camp
Camp Caroline
3398 Janerio Road
Arapahoe, NC 28510
Beta Camp: Evan Harrell, Briley Parker, Joy Kate Williams, Kamryn Wise
Alpha Camp: Gigi Williford, Nora Williams