Closed For Inventory

 I walked past a jewelry store in a mall the other day during a busy shopping hour and noticed it was closed.  Lights were on, I saw people inside, but the glass sliding doors complete with prison type bars clearly sent the signal…CLOSED.  I wondered, had they been robbed? Were they going out of business?  Rounding the corner however, I saw a small sign on the window: Closed for Inventory. As my pastors teach this month on “Wanting” and “Having” a strange thought occurred to me.  We all may need to “close for inventory” every once in a while.  If I were to look at what I have, both physically and spiritually, and really took time to make some sort of list, I’d probably be shocked. It’s simply sin to grumble and complain about what I don’t have.  I don’t know if I’d ever be a good candidate for a robbery, as I don’t think I own much, but that’s only when I compare myself with other people.  I have friends around the world that I talk to nearly every day who would love to have a fraction of the value of things I own.  Then again, maybe they wouldn’t. I’ll never forget the time my mother stopped me in a phone conversation and said, “Stefan, are you giving thanks?”  What I heard was “Stefan, you don’t sound like you’ve stopped and taken inventory.”  She didn’t care that she was talking to a guy who regularly exhorts whole crowd of people to give thanks.  She probably just sensed a shop that needed to shut it all down for a bit, with a sign on the door, and not open until I’ve counted every last thing inside.  I’m sure you get my point, (besides the fact that I have a wise mother) but here’s the clincher: Ephesians 1:3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  Not some, not a few, but every spiritual blessing.  For believers, He’s redeemed you, adopted you, found you, forgiven you, accepted you.   I could go on, but I’m closing up shop now.  I’m putting the sign on the door.  I’ve got a list to make and thanks to give. There’s no place like HOPE, 

Stefan Youngblood