Be Thankful

I am sure you are familiar with the cliché, “water off a duck’s back”. Well, today I am watching that in action. Once again we are experiencing wintery weather this time in the form of freezing rain. This has not hampered the pair of wood ducks that I have been watching out on the pond. They have been very near my observation spot - my chair parked in front of the glass patio doors. Most of the morning I have watched as they forged in the shallowest water seemingly unmindful of the rain coming down on them.

This made me think, how often had I been oblivious to the blessings that God showers down on me? Was I like these ducks going through my daily life by rote, the same routines day in and day out and only giving a God a half-hearted(if that) nod in thanks? Have we come to just expect those blessings? Do we feel entitled because at one time we knelt and asked Jesus into our hearts? There are too many times that I miss acknowledging God’s hand in my life.

Let’s look back to the Psalms for a reminder. Psalms 106:1, “Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.” God is good, and He has our best interests at heart. James 1:17 is our proof, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Thank Him for His goodness.

Be thankful in whatever you do as seen in Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Here Paul reminds us to give thanks, our perpetual duty when saved by grace and destined for streets of Heaven.

And finally today, looking at Psalms 30:11-12 we see David’s prayer of praise to God. “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” Do you, like me, feel a bit shameful after reading this? I think about how often I carried a burden to the throne of Grace, sometimes I was sure I was kneeling in a rut carved out by my own knees. After God wonderfully, gracefully, and faithfully answered my prayer did I remember to go back to Him in thanks?

Has your mourning been turned into dancing and your sackcloth into gladness? Then pause a few moments and thank God for what He has done in your life.

After your meditation I would encourage you to follow with speaking I Chronicles 29:13 out loud to God inserting yourself to make this a personal prayer. “Now therefore, our (my) God, we (I) thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.” (additions mine)

(The Pond -2016)