Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- April 29, 2010
Gratitude To God…“Yours O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name”. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13
Gratitude to God is a wellspring of living water. It roots out all kinds of evil. Discontent, self pity, jealousy and pride are no match for divine thankfulness. Gratitude to God is rooted in a realization of His character and what He has done for us. Everything is God’s and everything comes from God. His majestic creation bows down and worships Him as a reflection of His glory. Nations and rulers, consciously or unconsciously, are under His authority. Moreover, money and respect come from God. He is the owner of all things.
Because He owns everything, He is ultimately responsible. And because He is responsible, He can be trusted. We can enjoy Him, His creation, His resources, His freedom and each other. Christianity has its privileges. For the follower of Jesus Christ, heaven is sure and sin has lost its grip. There is a glorious gratitude that erupts from our being when we reflect on God’s glorious riches. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Gratitude to God is one of the secrets to living the Christian life. Glorious gratitude means we never get over what He has done for us, what He is doing for us and what He will do for us. It is a remembering His past, present and future faithfulness. Glorious gratitude is transformational, because it is God focused. The cares of this world melt like wax under the heat of heavenly appreciation. Have you thanked God for being God?
Godly gratitude understands what could have happen to you, were it not for the grace of God. But, because of the Lord’s intervention, He delivered you. It could have been a fatal car accident, but it was not. It could have been an immediate death, but it was not. It could have a divorce, but it was not. It could have been a lifelong prodigal child, but it was not. It could have been a dead end job, but it was not. It could have been a relational wreck, but it was not. You could still be lost in your sins, but you are not!
He is worthy of praise, gratitude and adoration. What a great and mighty God we serve. So, everyday take a bath with the soap of gratitude to God. Your attitude and actions will become clean and fresh. People will run toward you with interest, rather than avoiding you in your misery. Gratitude is a magnet for God and people. It makes you pleasant rather than distasteful. Wear it well and wear it regularly. It is one fashion statement that never goes out of style. Gratitude to the Most High is attractive to the Lord and the lost.
“We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 75:1)
How has God protected and provided for me? How can gratitude to God guide my heart?
Related Readings: Daniel 2:23; 6:10; Acts 28:15; Romans 1:21
