Nov 25, 2023
I recently came across an article about Richard Stearns,
the president of World Vision, as he reflected on his visit to a
church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti a year after the devastating
earthquake. The church's building consisted of a tent made from
white tarps and duct tape, pitched in the midst of a sprawling camp
for thousands of people still homeless from the earthquake. This is
how he described the church and the lesson he learned in
Haiti:
In the front row sat six amputees ranging in age from 6 to 60.
They were clapping and smiling as they sang song after song and
lifted their prayers to God. The worship was full of hope … [and]
with thanksgiving to the Lord.
No one was singing louder or praying more fervently than Demosi
Louphine, a 32-year-old unemployed single mother of two. During the
earthquake, a collapsed building crushed her right arm and left
leg. After four days both limbs had to be amputated.
She was leading the choir, leading prayers, standing on her
prosthesis and lifting her one hand high in praise to God .…
Following the service, I met Demosi's two daughters, ages eight and
ten. The three of them now live in a tent five feet tall and
perhaps eight feet wide. Despite losing her job, her home, and two
limbs, she is deeply grateful because God spared her life on
January 12th last year … "He brought me back like Lazarus, giving
me the gift of life," says Demosi … [who] believes she survived the
devastating quake for two reasons: to raise her girls and to serve
her Lord for a few more years.
I
find Demosi's response of gratitude to God remarkable! How can a
woman who lives in those conditions not to mention the loss of her
limbs find a reason to thank God? In my context, I find myself
lacking gratitude because my WiFi isn't working and the coffee ran
out. How pathetic in comparison!
The truth is while most of us would think that we are in a better
position then Demosi, it's actually Demosi who has something to
teach all of us: How to be thankful no matter what the
circumstances.
In
this episode, we will study a section of the apostle Paul's
Thessalonian letter (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24), which teaches us how
to develop a discipline of giving thanks in all
circumstances.