Last night, the night before Thanksgiving, our congregation had a Thanksgiving service. Earl Anders was invited to speak. The theme of his message was an explanation of how he chooses to respond when people ask him the classic question of greeting, “How are you doing?” He told us that he usually answers, “Better than I deserve.” When he said that it struck a chord with me. That is so true of my life. My whole life has been better than I deserve. But it is more than that, I do not deserve what God has done for me. I am not deserving of the mercy that God has shown for me. Paul referred to himself as the worst of sinners. I cannot even give myself that much credit. I am just a mundane, everyday sinner, but a sinner nevertheless. There is some benefit to be had from turning around the worst of sinners, but what glory does God gain from the mercy He has shown me? How can anything repay God for the great mercy He has shown me? Yet He has shown that great mercy to me nonetheless. I will be forever grateful for what He has done for me. I am completely undeserving of the wonders God has performed for me. I cannot find the words to express what my life would be like had God given me what I deserve. I deserve to be poor and starving, not healthy and well-fed.
    God gifted me with loving, God-fearing parents who set my feet on the right path. I am grateful that they set such a solid basis for my life that when I realized how empty of meaning everything this world had to offer was, I knew where to turn. Then when I had wasted many opportunities in my life to serve Him, He brought a wonderful woman into my life to be my wife. She has inspired me to seek what new opportunities He has for me. And just as I had been beginning to think that I had wasted all opportunities to use my gifts to make a difference for Him, last night after the service a man from my congregation approached me and asked if I had any ideas about how to address a problem the ministry he was involved with was having. It was a problem that bore close resemblance to a problem I had recently solved for my job, so I knew exactly what the solution was and was able to direct him in the right direction. I am so blessed by God in all manners and I continue to pray that He bring new opportunities for me to serve Him.