Thankfulness of heart
Thankfulness is a choice. We can accept things given to us as though we deserve them. We can choose to ignore the generosity of the giver and never respond at all. But a thankful person will always try to respond with a heart of gratitude. The giver actually chose us to be the recipient of their generosity. Wow! It fills our hearts with joy and if the gift is something valuable to us, we will really respond with thanksgiving.
The greatest Giver of all time is The Lord God, Jehovah. He gave us life. He offered us forgiveness and a hope for the future. The greatest gift He gave us was the salvation of our souls through the offering of His son, Jesus at the cross of Calvary. John 3:16-18 reveals the heart of the Father God more than any other for me.
John 3:16-18 The Passion Translation
“16 For this is how much God loved the world—he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it! 18 So now there is no longer any condemnation for those who believe in him, but the unbeliever already lives under condemnation because they do not believe in the name of God’s beloved Son.”
What a picture of a true giver! One of our goals in life should be to imitate the graciousness of the Father God. He is always looking for ways to bless mankind. If we want to please Him and show Him our thanksgiving, we must be like Him.
Matthew 5:43-46 The Passion Translation
43 “Your ancestors have also been taught ‘Love your neighbors and hate the one who hates you.’ 44 However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them. 45 For that will reveal your identity as children of your heavenly Father. He is kind to all by bringing the sunrise to warm and rainfall to refresh whether a person does what is good or evil. 46 What reward do you deserve if you only love the loveable? Don’t even the tax collectors do that? 47 How are you any different from others if you limit your kindness only to your friends? Don’t even the ungodly do that? 48 Since you are children of a perfect Father in heaven, you are to be perfect like him.”
Thankfulness of Heart
So much anger is in the world today. We have become so touchy and fretful, like small children who are never content. We retaliate with harsh words over the least offense, yet preach a “no bullying” lifestyle for our children. When we as adults can learn to drop the touchy, quick to respond anger, we may see more of the kindness towards each other that leads to a thankful life. May God heal our hearts today and show us how to be like Him, filled with kindness in the face of hatred and able to forgive others when they don’t deserve it.