I Am Grateful To Be Thankful

by Apr 26, 2014Devotional4 comments

Proverbs 11:21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

      Now that I am in my sixties, I was reflecting on the events of my God-given life. I am very grateful to God for my good health, sharp mind (if I may say so) and all the blessings I have had in this short life. I can now say like King David, “I have not seen the seed of the righteous begging bread.” Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

      Not that I am old, but I have had the pleasure of seeing the truth of this verse take place in my family and other families lives. Gratitude to God in life is what will help us get through life with the joy of the Lord. When Gratitude is part of our character, we will have the favor of God working on our behalf and we will be fulfilling God’s will for our life. 
      1 Thes. 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. By simply offering thanks and gratefulness to God, in whatever we are going through, will turn our captivity around while we are being strengthened in our hearts. Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before
      Isn’t one of the reasons we move with gratitude toward God in life, is we will help the next generation become grateful followers of Christ? If our children do not see the fruit of our thankfulness and gratefulness taking a real place in our hearts and marking our lives with real spiritual substance, then why should they follow a rote and insipid existence in the church? 
      If we cannot find ourselves in a place of gratefulness to Christ for all that He has done for us, why then would our children want a milky-toast relationship with a Savior not worth thanking? Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever
      One of the reasons that God made a covenant with Abraham was that Abraham agreed to teach his children about God. Gen. 18:18a Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation,19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.  
      I am not saying that if your children are not walking with God that you have failed as a Christian parent, or have not exhibited the life of Christ at work in your life. Please do not read that lie of the devil into what I am saying. I am saying that first, we must find the joy of gratitude in our walk with God before we can freely and joyfully express it with a contagious love. 
      You know this first-hand to be true. When you are full of gratefulness and thanksgiving, life looks brighter and feels lighter. Even people in the world see it. Friedrich Nietzsche said, “The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.” Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 
      I look back and say, “Thank you, Lord,” with gratefulness at all the great men and women of God that have influenced my life toward righteousness. I am full of thankfulness for my wife and her true love for me and whom we have become after thirty-three years of marriage. 
      I am grateful that my sons have turned out to be wonderful young men that will be a blessing in this earth. I am so grateful that I have never been unemployed over the last forty-two years. I am full of gratitude that my wife and I have no debt, whatsoever, and all that we have is paid for. 
      Better still, I am so thankful for the thirty-five years of walking with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am full of gratitude for all the healing, provisions, protections, directions and love that the Lord has lavished on my life. What can I do but give thanks to a wonderful Heavenly Father who gave everything for me. Eph. 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
      After all these years I am grateful that I have become so thankful and that I can see that the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. I ask God, in Jesus name, for all our children to be saved and reconciled with Christ. Amen.
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4 Comments

  1. Jami

    Amen to a life well-lived and blessed!

    Reply
  2. sirnorm1

    I still do the same. I am always blessed to see the recorded faithfulness of God toward my life.
    Blessings.

    Reply
  3. Anonymous

    You once told me that I should write down all of my prayers. On one side of the page the prayer would be written and dated. On the other side, I would write down when God answered. I found that over time, both sides were filled and this helped me become very grateful! Bless you.

    Reply

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