Everyday Matters by Debbie Griffith

12/5/2024

Serving

Thursday Matters- December 5, 2024
Everyday Grocery Cart

The first time I saw the cart lady she was pushing close to 15 carts back into the grocery store. I was surprised I’d never seen the cart lady since my small town only had two grocery stores and I visited this particular one at least three times a week. This woman in her 70’s watched me carefully as I left the store with my cart and after my groceries were in my van, she, without a word took my cart to return it. I stopped her, “Do you work here?” “No,” she replied, “but I figured better get some exercise than sit and watch TV all day.”

Last week she noticed me and without a word, helped unload my groceries. As she walked away pushing my cart, she turned grinning, “I like what I do.” Jesus calls us all to love and serve those He puts before us. I think He knows that real contentment comes in giving more than receiving …everyday.

11/28/2024

Compassion

Thursday Matters- November 28, 2024
Everyday Compassion

It was his first day back on the job after more than a year on disability leave due to a freak explosion in the plant that, among other injuries, left Rob legally deaf in both ears. But when Rob walked into the plant that morning several of his colleagues used sign language to say; “Great to see you Rob,” “Welcome back” and “We missed you.” It turns out that nine of his colleagues got together and took a sign language course, just like he did, over the several months he was absent. They did this so they could easily communicate with him when he returned.

This kind of compassion truly shows that people are what life is all about. Only people last forever and the way we treat others is the legacy we leave behind. I can’t help but think of that verse in 2 Corinthians 1:4 that says that with the compassion and love God’s shown to us; we too can show that to others…everyday.

11/21/2024

Vengeance

Thursday Matters- November 21, 2024
Everyday Payback

It’s so hard when someone has hurt you and, “It’s not fair. Why is this happening to me?” I want payback now!” God IS taking care of things in HIS timing. He’s God and we’re not. Romans 12:19 is the promise from God saying. “I’ll take care of it because it’s Mine to avenge.”

You know God loves you but your anger prevents you from rational thought. You’re not alone here. We’ve all been “there.” Let’s try to get in the habit of asking this question to ourselves, “Have you prayed about it as much as you’ve posted about it. Let the person be taken off your hook and placed on His. In the meantime, you may need to set healthy boundaries and forgive which is necessary for our FREEDOM. Reconciliation may take longer because both parties need to own the truth and stop blaming each other. But don’t worry. God promises to avenge you because He sees and knows your feelings and above all He knows your heart…everyday.

11/14/2024

God’s Mercy

Thursday Matters- November 14, 2024
Everyday Fresh Mercy

Are you listening? Jesus is speaking. Hear His voice; “You are forgiven. Today is a new day.

God’s Word from Lamentations 3:23: “Great is My mercy. It’s new every morning and great is My faithfulness. Everyday I try to “be better” but no matter how strong my will and determination is I will fail without the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s grace working in me. Receiving God’s forgiveness means our soiled sin rags are washed clean made white by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14) and with reception of His grace we are then given the Holy Spirit making His home in us. There’s a whole lot of us who so wanted to be faithful, but who at times got beat-up by life and tested by trials. We have the bloodied garments of life’s tribulations, but through it all we clung to the faith. This is the Gospel of Grace. You’re not alone in this journey of life. Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to fill you because it’s only by His strength that we can move forward in hope…everyday.

11/7/2024

God’s Way

Thursday Matters- November 7, 2024
Everyday One Road

There’s only one road to God? What? But that view is narrow minded. You’re right, it is narrow but through a relationship with Jesus, not religion, it becomes clear that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. There are amazing people who love others but think there are many roads to God and that true spirituality is just to love your neighbor and help the poor.

How then do you know when you’ve given enough to get to God? What about the people who’ve been taught to hate? Are the poor just virtuous? That sounds right, but listen, if a soldier drapes his body over a grenade to save his friends, we recognize it as a sacrifice. Something we honor, but not something we can pay him back for. The same is true with Jesus. We can’t earn our salvation. It’s a gift we have a choice to receive by accepting His sacrifice Christ for our sins. Trust the path He sets and what He’s done for you and then walk in full freedom…everyday.

10/31/2024

God’s Eyes

Thursday Matters- October 31, 2024
Everyday God Apple

God wants to cover your shame with His grace, but the enemy wants you to hide and live in it. But the Good News is, once you’ve received God’s f grace, you’re His child and oh, how He loves you. Psalm 17:8 says, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.”
If you look deeply into someone’s eyes, you actually see a tiny reflection of yourself in their pupils. The word “pupil” comes from the Latin “pupilla,” which means “little doll.” At some point in our language development, the “little doll” became the “apple” of the eye, maybe because pupils are round.
As God’s child you can look into His eyes and see your own reflection because the Father is always looking at His children. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous … but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” Sin turns your eyes away from God, but whenever you turn to God you can be reminded of His steadfast love. See yourself in God’s loving eyes…everyday.

10/24/2024

Sin

Thursday Matters- October 24, 2024
Everyday Itchy Sin

Hidden sin is attractive but once exposed, we see how ugly it really is. But often a person acting in sin can’t see the truth of how what they’re doing is not only hurting themselves but also others around them. C.S. Lewis in, The Great Divorce says sin is like an itch that needs to be scratched. At first, it’s small but the more it’s scratched the better it feels. After a while the itch becomes less, but you actually long to have it back. Sin is that way, when you aren't being satisfied by it anymore, you still long to have it. Only God can take that desire away.

Sin costs us and the real loss isn’t just on earth but the loss of eternal life. Good news is that if we change our ways and accept God’s grace, we have life, which is what 1 John 5:12 talks about with repentance which is simply turning from our ways as Director of our lives to His direction and this always brings true freedom, forgiveness and life now and into eternity…everyday.

10/17/2024

Kindness

Thursday Matters- October 17, 2024
Everyday Scooters

I remember when I was the substitute teacher for 2nd grade gym and oh how excited the eight-year-olds were for “Friday Free Day” which meant hula hoops, balls and scooters. Unfortunately, for Caleb, there weren’t enough little floor scooters to go around. So, after 10 minutes I asked Megan to give her blue scooter to Caleb. She was about to do it when she noticed a red and orange one rolled to the side. But as I led Caleb to the scooters, he stopped me, tears coming, and sniffled; “I know it doesn’t matter and all colored scooters are the same, but I just need a blue one.” Megan obliged giving up her blue for red but wondered; “Why?” “Oh, just because,” I said. God gets out “crazy” too. Psalm 55:2 says, “Attend to and answer me; I’m restless and distraught in my complaint and must moan.” I have a lot of days of lamenting, but God sees and cares about everyday single one of those days.

No matter how little your need is, it matters to God because you matter to Him, absolutely and completely…everyday.

10/10/2024

Marriage

Thursday Matters- October 10, 2024
Everyday Wedding

I remember being engaged to Dan and wanting to be married ASAP so I could fully be with him as husband and wife. It was hard to wait. You yearn, and you know what you want. You want more… but not yet. This relates to our yearning for God. God calls us to relationship, and that means yearning. A person doesn’t yearn for religion.

Jesus tells us that we are His bride, and He promises a final wedding. He fully knows and loves us and when the day arrives, and He comes for us it will be like the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:5; “Then I shall know just as I also am known.” You’re yearning, and we all are, but it’s building up to something called heaven where it’s not just a spiritual wholeness but a physical one too. The earth experience is hard but as believers we have the eternal wedding celebration in heaven where there is perfection with no more tears or pain but yet there’s purpose. That’s something to look forward to …everyday.

10/3/2024

Hope

Thursday Matters- October 3, 2024
Everyday Mountaintop

I still remember our youth pastor reminding me that two of our sons must sign up for a big upcoming youth event. “It’s a mountaintop experience they can ride on for weeks” he said. I couldn’t help but think of what I’d just read in Habakkuk 3:19; “The Lord God is my Strength; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk, not in terror but make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, and suffering!”

We tend to think that the highest place to be is on the mountaintop with no problems and everything going our way, but God says our high places are very often our troubles and sufferings. A mountain goat that has hinds’ feet can leap pretty freely on rocky and difficult slopes. They climb mountains with really no effort because of the way God’s made them. When we trust God, He gives us hinds’ feet to make spiritual progress during tough times. The mountaintop experience is strength and victory through the treacherous valleys…everyday.