Thanks for the Cake - Encouragement Café - November 1, 2016

Thanks for the Cake
Beth Mabe Gianopulos
Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:20 NIV

For as long as I can remember, I have said a blessing before a meal.  Needless to say, I’ve said “thank you” for a meal more times than I can count. 

Given all the thanks that I have given for my food, you’d think that I was really thankful.  I thought that I had a truly thankful heart.  Then I went to Uganda.

While I was in Uganda, a team member was having a birthday.  The school that we were visiting was so hospitable and excited that they insisted on celebrating.  They had purchased three cakes, and they planned to have the children sing to my friend.

Sounds typical, right?

Except this birthday celebration was anything but typical.  Almost 1000 kids attended the school, and most of them had no shoes, no paper, no pencils, no books, and no food.  Many of these children were literally starving.

When our hosts brought out the birthday cakes, large brown eyes stared in wonder.  The cake was cut into small bites that were the size of croutons.  

When I was handed a plate to give to the kids, I was literally swarmed with hands reaching from every direction, hoping to grasp a taste of sweetness.  In less than a minute, my plate was empty. 

When I turned around, a young boy with hope filled eyes stood before me, looking at the plate.  As tears welled in my eyes, I told him there was nothing left – the plate was empty. 

But this boy did not see an empty plate.  Where I saw emptiness, he saw a plate of sugary, delicious crumbs. 

He cupped his hands together, and I poured the crumbs into them.  He slowly licked each of his fingers, savoring the goodness and sweetness of his first taste of cake.  Every cell in his body conveyed how thankful he was to taste a bit of Heaven.

We are instructed to

always give thanks to God …. for everything.  Ephesians 5:20 NIV 

Thankfulness is not about hollow, routine words.  Thankfulness is realizing that even the smallest wonders are unimaginable gifts.  Thankfulness is receiving the smallest taste of Heaven, and treasuring every single crumb. 

God is waiting for us to open our eyes and see that our plate is not empty, but is full of crumbs that carry the smallest taste of Heaven. 

When you look at your life, do you see an empty plate, or do you see a plate full of crumbs from Heaven? 

Ask God to help reveal the tiny taste of Heaven in the crumbs of your life.  Take time to identify the smallest wonders that are unimaginable gifts from God.  Thank God from the deepest part of your soul for allowing you to taste a tiny bit of Heaven.     

Jesus, forgive me for ignoring the crumbs.  Open my eyes to the beauty and wonder that can be found in the smallest treasures.  Continue to reveal yourself to me.  We thank you for allowing us to taste the crumbs of Heaven on Earth.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

© 2016 by Beth Mabe Gianopulos.  All rights reserved.

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