Several years ago, in Germany, a young man was lying on the operating table.  Next to him was a famous surgeon, and around him a group of doctors. The surgeon touched the young man’s hand and said, “If you want to say something before we give you the anesthetic, now is your chance, because I should remind you that what you would say, will be your last words in this world”.  The young man knew this very well because his tongue was to be cut out due to cancer.

The young man remained silent for a moment.  His face was filled with peace and tranquility.  He closed his eyes, and poured out his heart in a short prayer expressing his hidden feelings; then he said, “Heavenly Father, I thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, the one who loved me, and for this great love.  He died on the cross to save me.  I believe in him as he’s alive to protect me now and forever.  Amen.”

 

This young man knew that God was not mistaken when he said, Give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  Giving thanks to the Lord in every circumstance and occasion is the divine therapy to our problems even in adversity and testing conditions.

Through each painful experience and hard moment that I have passed through I heard him saying,  “Have I ever left you alone, sad, collapsed, desperate …”  In each such moment I remind myself of his unconditional love and what the Lord has done for me on the cross, and how he still works in me by his Holy Spirit.  I remind myself of his strong and stable love, and that he will never leave me or ignore me.  He wants to give me strength and support.  As his child, I train my tongue to give thanks to the Lord and always praise him.  I take all my sorrows to God and tell him everything that hurts me.  I pour out my heart before him, and allow him to show me the purpose of all that I am passing through.  I shall never go on before thanking him for all the blessings I have been given, in particular my close relationship with him as my Father, who cares about me personally.

 

 The first Sunday of October each year, our Christmas Lutheran church in Bethlehem celebrates “Thanksgiving Day”.  I thank God for many blessings in my life:

-          for the family I have, as many do not have a family;

-          for the home I have, reminding myself of the many who are displaced and homeless;

-          for the blessing of health and the ability to pray for those who need to regain their health and

           well-being;

-          for my mother with Alzheimer’s who is still alive and can recognize me, and for her great love;

-          for my children who are growing up in good health and have such a great love for and faith in

           you

           despite all the darkness around, and the hopeless situations where many innocents are killed   

           every

           day, the majority who are young people under the age of 16.

 

In spite of the sadness and lack of hope everywhere, I keep reminding myself of all the blessings I have, and thank God for all of them because he has said to Give thanks in everything.  

 

Let’s all do that every day, and we will receive wonders!  Our grumbling will turn to praise and our sadness will become joy!   

 

Raeda Mansour

Parish Nurse, Christmas Lutheran Church

Bethlehem, Palestine