One way I can show my love and gratitude for Jesus and what He has done for me is to daily try to be more like Him. The only way that can happen is if  spend more time with Him.

A Reflective Prayer

You were beaten rejected and despised.

You could have called a heavenly army from the skies.

Even Your Father never heard complaining cries.

Lord this makes my tears fall like rain.

Lord I have never been through such pain that I can recall.

I am ashamed that things so small can make me complain at all.

When things get rough Lord please give me strength to not complain.

Help me to be quiet and  call upon Your Name.

It's not much of a way to show my gratitude to You.

For all that You went through.

But complaining was something You didn't do.

And out of Love and gratitude I want to be more like You.

No Bed Of Roses

My friend Merry Last year did something I always wanted to do. She planted a rose garden in her yard. I watched as her and her husband Bob prepared the area, put special stuff in the ground to help them take root, fertilizer to make them grow. Then I watched them lift and lower the heavy bushes into the  holes and carefully turn them to face the way they would look best. That was a lot of work and the rest of rose bush care is no bed of roses either. But today is good Friday and I am thinking about the sweetest rose my Jesus sometimes in the bible called the Rose Of Sharon. His life and what He went through for me was no bed of roses either. It makes me ashamed to think of all the complaining I do over small stuff when I think about Him and what He went through. To really live a full abundant Christian life is no bed of roses, although some people use that as a fake disguise to draw people to accept Jesus. But I am glad for to me the hard times lets me know I am alive and not sleep walking through life, It is when I am reminded the most that I have a Risen Savior and that I am loved, cared for, and not alone. I only wish I could be more like Him uncomplaining. I can only achieve this wish through God's help. I must keep this in prayer, repent when I complain, say I am sorry to the one who put up with my complaint, with the Holy Spirit's help try to catch myself before I complain and nip it in the bud. When I complain it helps no one and just eats away at me. I need to turn to God at those times for strength like Jesus had to keep silent and bear it. If  I think something is wrong I should be able to calmly and peacefully come up with a solution and peacefully offer it in an uncomplaining way. If my solution is rejected I should accept that and maintain peace by leaving it with God. As for the rest of  the things that happen that causes Christian life to be no bed of roses I say this (Faith = For All I Trust Him).

He was oppressed and He was afflicted yet,  He opened not His mouth. Isaiah 53:7, For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  Do all things with out murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, Philippians 2:13-15, And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5

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