Pastor Dan Olson

Cause/Effect—“Every why hath a wherefore.” That was Shakespeare’s poetic way of saying that very little happens by chance. Generally there is an agent behind an action. There is cause and effect. And to navigate life well, it is vital we understand both. If you want to effect a healthy heart, you need to know the causes of heart disease. Before a major purchase causes you to go into debt, you need to think about the effect it will have on your budget. If you want the peace of being close to God, you need to know what causes that effect.
We are nearing the end of the Church Year. The Scripture readings in these final weeks recall some of the major themes that are woven throughout the Church Year. In this final series we will be looking at those themes with the understanding that “every why hath a wherefore.” We conclude the year by talking about cause and effect in God’s kingdom.
 
Generosity/Grace—There are two factors that affect the intensity of gratitude. First, there is the deservedness factor. If you have been an unkind or selfish neighbor, and yet your neighbor provides help when you are in need, you are extremely grateful precisely because you know you are undeserving. Second, there is the generosity factor. Imagine you pick up the mail for your neighbor for the three days he is out of town. When he gets back, he gives you a hundred-dollar bill. You might protest, “This is too generous!” He insists, and so you are very grateful.
Apply this to God. Deservedness. How deserving are we of his blessing? What does God owe us? Generosity. What has God done for us? What blessings has he given us now and promised us in eternity? As we answer those questions, we are stunned by the undeserved generosity our God has shown us. The effect? We overflow with gratitude.
 
Cause/Effect—Generosity/Grace