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WorldWideWords Weekly words designed to encourage, provide devotional thought, “GOD,
I THANK YOU THAT …”
This
week, a lot of prayers will be offered in thanksgiving for all the
blessings God showers upon us.
While most of us have long left the farms where thanks for
the fall harvest was so fundamental, we continue to pause during
the fall to reflect on the bounty that God has poured into our
lives. Giving
thanks is so vital to a proper relationship with God.
The apostle Paul encouraged his Ephesian readers with these
words—“always
giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20).
Once while preaching during his missionary journey through
Lystra, Paul reminded the people, “Yet He has not left Himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by
giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He
provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy”
(Acts 14:17). We have
so much for which to be thankful! However,
let us be careful how we offer our thanks.
Thanksgiving offered in arrogance or without recognition of
our responsibility to share can become a curse instead of a
blessing. Our Lord
told the story of two men who went up to the Temple to prayer.
The first one began, “God, I thank you that I am
not like other men-- robbers, evildoers, adulterers-- or even like
this tax collector. I
fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get” (Lk.
18:11). While
this man was generous in giving to others, he failed to recognize
God’s role in both his physical and spiritual life.
Thanksgiving offered in either arrogance or without concern
for those less fortunate is anything but giving thanks.
This
Thanksgiving season, let’s capture the true essence of giving
thanks by humbly realizing that everything comes from God and is
to be used for His glory, not ours. Click on links below for archived WorldWideWords.
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