Romans 12: 1-2 An Ethic of Gratitude

By Bob Gernon

This was the best of all possible sermons to ask for my ‘Afterthoughts’.  I’m delighted to share the following three specific examples of things for which I am grateful:

1.  Paul.  I am so grateful that Paul wrote these words and that they have been passed to me over all these years:  ”Don’t be conformed but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  This has been one of my ‘life-verses’ throughout my adult life.

I really was (and probably still am) insane.  I suppose we all are as long as we live without Jesus at the center of our lives.  Without Christ helping to straighten out my thinking and my decision making, who knows where I would be today.  I am so grateful, so thankful and so humbled that the God of the universe would care enough to be willing to walk with me, talk with me, counsel me, coach me, guide and direct me….love me.

2.  Alan.  As a young man I felt a strong ‘call’ to the ministry but I could never say ‘yes’.  I felt inadequate, ashamed, unworthy.  Anything but ‘holy’.  Over the period of the last 20 years I have been blessed by Alan’s teaching and leadership and in particular by his consistent and persistent message that I am worthy, I am Holy, God loves me and is for me.  I am so grateful to Alan for his persistence with this message.  Each week, month and year it soaks in a little more that God truly loves me and will tenderly help me through every situation in life.  He will never forget me or forsake me.  Please, Alan, please don’t get tired of preaching this message.  Keep at it.  Slowly it is warming me, unfreezing me and releasing me.

3.  Weston Park Baptist Church.  Thank you kind friends for allowing me to volunteer and serve you in everything from being a Deacon to a janitor.  I wish I could do more because I know that the more I give to you in service, the more I am transformed, healed and renewed.  It truly is in the giving that we receive.  What a strange topsy-turvy, upside-down kind of economic system this is.  And yet…it’s true.

So I am very, very grateful.  To any who are wavering and a bit unsure, I stretch out my hand, I invite you to step on this amazing roller-coaster ride of transformation and love.  Come join, come pray and choose to give of yourself and in so doing you will position yourself to receive.

I trust this is helpful.