A forgotten Celebration

A forgotten Celebration

Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1 NIV

It is okay to ask of God, "What's in it for me?" This is essentially the same thing the super apostles asked of Christ (Luke 18:28-30). And the Lord was happy to assure them (and us) that there are plenty of good things in store. But we cannot get stuck there. A theology of consuming will always leave us spiritually wanting, like baby birds with mouths always open to receive, but never capable of giving. There is never anything wrong with receiving, but too often we forget to give. That seems to me, the forgotten celebration and a forgotten art among some genuine believers.

So, the question lingers in my mind; where is gratitude in the hearts and minds of the people that belong to God? If gratitude is lost in the believer, then there are probably two major reasons; Either we think that God could have done better when He blessed us, or our arrogance has taken over and we think we deserve all that we have. Either way, repentance is in order. We should give thanks and remember that everything we have came from Him, for He is where all blessings come from (James 1:17).

And this is not a discussion of “things” per se, and much more so a discussion of the spiritual and the intangible. So no matter if you are in a season of acquiring or facing hardships and losing everything; either way, we have the right, privilege and the responsibility to thank God for the great love he has already lavished upon us with the blood of His son. Such a love transcends mere tangibles such as a people, places and things. It reaches into the heart, saving the spirit and making peace between God and us. And this is what endures for all time, God’s love and our gratitude. The people of God will always recognize the works of God’s hands and give thanks in this world and they will continue to give thanks in Heaven.