Giving Thanks, Being Grateful
by David Brenneman
There's moments in my life when I just love it when a picture triggers something in my heart towards God, my Savior. This picture triggered a song that we used to sing in one of the churches we used to go to.
"Give Thanks" by Don Moen
… Father, we wanna thank You
For givin' us and gifted Your Son, Jesus
And in return we wanna give You all that we have
Our hearts, our lives and our thanks
… Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given
Jesus Christ, His Son
… Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given
Jesus Christ, His Son
… And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich"
Because of what the Lord has done for us
… And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich"
Because of what the Lord has done for us
… Give thanks
We give thanks (give thanks)
We give thanks
… Lord God, we thank You
Thank You from the bottom of our hearts
For giving Jesus to us
And we can say for a weak, "I am strong"
Because You promised
Your strrength will be perfect in our weakness
… And for every financial need we have
We can sing, "I am rich"
Because You promised to provide all of our needs
According to Your riches and glory
By Christ Jesus, let's sing it together
… And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich"
Because of what the Lord has done for us
… And now let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich" (I am rich)
Because of what the Lord has done for us
… Give thanks (give thanks)
We give You thanks (we give thanks)
Give thanks
We give thanks
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It's so easy to go on about what you don't have in life. It's easy to go on about having to go through this or go through that in life. Determining our level of suffering in comparison to others. To even call what we're going through as suffering when in even the past few decades it wouldn't have come close to being called that by our ancestors.
It's oh so easy to not rely on God for things when we live in such a world of plenty these days. We don't even bother coming to Him for things when in most cases it's a click away from being at our doorstep. The governments of the world call much of what we don't have as a 'supply chain' problem. No it's quite the opposite. We just don't know how to do more with less anymore.
We don't teach children how to plan. We don't teach children how to not get into a financial hole they can't get out of. We teach them that the government will provide bail-outs if you know where to look.
We don't teach children the way they should go that they might not depart from it as it's written in the book of Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he grows older he will not abandon it." NASB
I also think on the words of someone who was a contestant on a popular talent show. "You cannot wait for life to not be hard to be happy" - Jane Marczewski.
We also read : "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." NASB Romans 8:18
Yet in all this, over and over again, we're reminded to be thankful, to be grateful. There's a popular acronym: ACTS. Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication.
Adoration - tell Jesus of our love for Him and what He means to us
Confession - put our sins where they need to be. Confess them to get them out of our way between us and God.
Thanksgiving - be thankful for all that He's provided and is doing. This can and is usually combined with rejoicing. There's another chorus:
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, Rejoice!
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, Rejoice!
Rejoice, rejoice, and again I say, Rejoice!
Rejoice, rejoice, and again I say, Rejoice!
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, Rejoice!
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, Rejoice!
Supplication: here's where we make our requests known unto God. Even in this it ought to be for others before ourselves as it's also written elsewhere in the New Testament.
Are you thankful for today? It's interesting to note that Jesus said to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication make your requests known unto God. To not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has enough trouble of it's own.
Think about that little point. "it's own". Today, not unlike tomorrow, is alive. Your day is alive and we are alive in Christ to live in this day for the One who saved us.
Are you grateful? Are you just so used to getting what you want when you want it that you have stopped being either towards God?
When they returned from their 70 year exile, those who came back to Jerusalem were thankful. Those who remembered wept at the look of the new Temple. Realizing just what their rebellion and what their fellow Israelites did to warrant what befell them.
Being thankful and being grateful. We have such a blessing in being able to do so. Those in Hell cannot. Those in Heaven are already there immersed the greatest of blessings.
"But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 NASB
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