Gratefulness

Great is My Gratefulness

There are not many times, if any, where I can recall failing to thank God for something He has brought about in my life.  A provision, direction, or simple things like the splendor in a western sunset or brilliance of an eastern sunrise.  I thank Him when  He presses in my mind the object I’m looking for! I’ve thanked Him, on the grayest of days, for the vibrant purple blossoms set against the dismal sky.  I thank Him for people, for my home, my car, and when I can find no joy in my workplace I thank Him I am employed.  When in the midst of trials and sufferings, I think I am managing well because I can find something to thank Him for.  I tell myself I am being positive and optimistic.  Godly.  All these things are good, but today I found a Truth in thanking Him.

Grateful derives from the Latin word “gratus” which means pleasing.  I define gratefulness “as an appreciation that indicates a disposition to express gratitude by giving thanks, as to a merciful Providence, often with a sense of deliverance”.  I have been playing a worship song on a wooden wind instrument and piano for decades.  Many of you know this song by Don Moen:

Give thanks, with a grateful heart.  Give thanks, to the Holy One…..

A grateful heart, a pleasing heart towards God for what He’s done goes further than the circumstances in our lives, deeper than our problems and struggles.  Thanking God with a pleasing heart towards Him extends to Him an honoring sense of worship for His plan of reconciling this fallen world back to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. 

This afternoon, I casually opened a letter from PNC Bank knowing what it was, my yearly escrow notice.  I don’t understand the whole escrow business.  All I know is that each year the escrow collected is never enough and when I pay the shortage amount due, my new mortgage is still a few dollars more than the previous year.  This is what banks refer to as a “fixed” mortgage.  This year as I unfolded the papers to see how much I’d be paying I found a check attached to the letter.  I read the form and stared at the letter dumfounded and confused. 

In those moments I uttered my thanks to the Lord, the One who always provides, Who always makes a way, the One Who blesses.  In those next moments something washed over me.  A humbleness.  A humbleness of gratefulness before my Lord.  I thought how insignificant my needs are against the awesome wonder of how He loves us, how He cares for us.  I began to see gratefulness, the noun, as a verb in an act of worship.  When we thank Him, do we worship Him as well?  Too many times, I think, I take thanking Him lightly.  I’ve grown accustomed to thanking Him for all I have, as genuine as it is, it isn’t the same as worshipping Him with a grateful heart for what He's done.  Thanking Him as He moves in our lives should lead us to what He’s done to provide life eternally.  The two should never be separated.  One, thanks, should lead us into to the other, gratefulness.  Let our hearts worship Him in an attitude of our gratefulness for how He works in our lives, but never allowing it to take precedence over what He has done to redeem our lives.  

As in the definition I take liberty in paraphrasing, it is the “sense of deliverance” that washed over me.  I pray I not lose that awareness of my need for deliverance, my gratitude for receiving it through Jesus Christ.  I never want to lose sight of what I felt today when my gratefulness took me to my knees regarding the magnificent plan of salvation God has fulfilled in Jesus’ death and resurrection redeeming us from a sinful state of being.  I could use the unexpected money today, but I need Jesus every day.  All the money in the world will never help me.  It can only ease the burden, for now, but will never save me. In all things concerning our lives, let us give thanks, with grateful hearts of worship for Who Jesus is and what God’s done for us through Christ.  Let our gratefulness continually remind us of a merciful deliverance gifted to us by God, through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.

 

PRAY, CONSIDER, RECEIVE, SHARE 

     Please PRAY for believers worldwide being persecuted for their faith.  Pray that they are able to remain strong and full of courage.  Pray they remain true to the message of Jesus Christ, boldly sharing the gospel of salvation to others in lands where it is illegal to preach Jesus.  Pray for endurance and healing for those who have lost loved ones, are sitting in prison, been wounded and/or constantly dealing with terrorizing hatred in their villages and cities.  Pray they not lose hope and retain the joy of their salvation, that their faith be strengthened.  Jesus promised to intercede when the devil comes to devour, deceive and destroy.  Let us pray for one another as the devil is sifting like wheat. Remember Christ is at the right hand of Father God, interceding our behalf.   Join Him by praying without ceasing for our brothers and sisters sharing the gospel of Christ at all costs.  Let their choice to follow Jesus, unto death, be a reminder to us to stop “practicing religion” and live out faith in Jesus, for His namesake, to the glory of God. 

            Pray that the hearts of people turn towards Christ and be guided by the Holy Spirit.  The world has become more uncertain than ever.  Matthew 24:6 repeats the words of Christ that tells us in the end times we will hear talk of war and rumors of war.  He goes on to say that we are not to be troubled because these things must come to pass.  People go about their daily lives without assurance, searching for comfort in a world that cannot possibly provide it.  We live in a country where churches sit on every corner.  Lexington Park alone has nearly two dozen churches.  Bibles are sold openly and given freely.  We can pray in public establishments and speak the name of Jesus without fear of persecution.  Let us not take that for granted but use such freedom to live out the gospel to those around us.  Opportunity to know Christ and His word is everywhere.   Opportunity to grow deeper in faith is all around us. 

            For those in Christ, our confidence comes from knowing God’s redemption plan restores us back to Him.  It is there we find ultimate peace in knowing Jesus brings salvation to all who will receive.   Jesus is the Way, the Truth and Life.  Only He can reconcile our hearts back to God.  Seek the Way.  Learn of Truth.  Choose Life.   Please PRAY that people develop a hunger and thirst to know more of Jesus.  Pray hearts open to hear the Good News of God's plan to reconcile all creation back to Him through His Son Jesus Christ.  Pray for spiritual growth with the people of America, that they embrace their faith in Jesus, fully trusting in Him.  Pray that those in Christ boldly live out their faith for others to see, a living witness to God’s grace and mercy.  May we all not just believe in Jesus, but believe Him.

     Please CONSIDER giving, through donations or volunteer service locally within your own community, fulfilling the Great Commission through service to the poor and neglected people of our country and other regions worldwide. 

     RECEIVE the Lord's eternal blessing for your partnership in whichever manner He guides you in. 

    Please SHARE this blog with anyone you know who is interested in learning more about God’s infinite love for them. 

PRAYER REQUESTS

Remember those who are battling illnesses and have undergone/undergoing surgeries, pray for full recovery and healing.

Remember those less abled in our community who require assistance, companionship and special care. 

Intercede for God to change the hearts of those at odds with their faith or have not come into relationship with Christ.

Pray for deliverance from addictions.

Pray for our country that continues to legalize sin.

Pray for each other that we may endure against the deception of Satan.

Pray spiritual protection over the children, that they mature into their own faith in Christ.