Thankful

One of the traits that will set apart a follower of Jesus from the lost is a heart of thankfulness. Unfortunately, these days it seems like society as a whole has an attitude of entitlement. Some think they deserve all the blessings they have received, and as a result, many have forgotten how to be thankful.

This should not be so for the follower of Christ. As followers, we understand that our lives, our salvation, and even the heaven that awaits are all a wonderful gift that none of us deserves to have. If we were to go through many of the Psalms, we would see the words of someone who understands the meaning of thanksgiving.

In my devotions, I was reading the words of Psalm 92, and it challenged me with how thankful I really am. Verses 1-2, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night.” Why is it good to give thanks to the Lord? There are several reasons. One is just the fact that Jesus deserves it. We are so blessed. The greatest reason is the fact of our salvation. The bible says that even while we were enemies of God, He chose to die for our sins. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, everyone has the opportunity for eternal life.

We go from the spiritual to the natural. We have a beautiful planet on which to live, breathtaking views, and the wonders of creation. The writer says that he is thankful for the Lord’s lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness by night. I think just about every one of us can agree with those words. I know in my life there are so many things I take for granted. I don’t mean to, but I don’t take the time as I should just to be thankful.

V 4-6, “For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. How great are Your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep. A senseless man has no knowledge, Nor does a stupid man understand this.” The Psalmist makes a very clear observation. A wise person will look around and have gladness in their heart because they see and recognize the goodness of God and will be glad. In fact, it will bring a song to our lips. We will also recognize that God’s ways are so much deeper than ours. If we ever get to where we understand God, He will cease to be God. On the flip side, someone who has no common sense will be oblivious to the wonders and majesty of God. The Psalmist goes on to say that a stupid person will not have any understanding or even the desire to recognize how blessed they really are. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I never want to be so dumb that I cannot recognize the blessings of our God.