TRULY THANKFUL

1 Timothy 4:4-5

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:4-5, NIV

God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food." That prayer, often spoken by small children before they eat, may seem simple, yet thankfulness is something we often struggle with even as adults.

How often have we stopped and thanked God for the air we breathe, the abilities we have, or the body we have been given? Of course, gratefulness does not just manifest itself in words but becomes part of our lives. When we truly understand the gifts that God has given us, it leads us to a desire to serve Him. Then, as we meditate on the gospel and the fact that Jesus died on our behalf so we could be forgiven, it should cause us to give our all for Him. Knowing that it can be difficult in our busy lives to stop and focus on all that we are blessed with, but when we take the time to, it will impact our lives profoundly.

As we focus on the goodness of God and His provision for our lives and our salvation, we are humbled and put in the perfect place to be used by God. Even in our times of hardship, when we stand back and view, we get a glimpse of God's eternal perspective, which leads us to rejoice, once again, in our King Thanksgiving is a recognition that you do not possess anything in yourself, that everything comes as a gift from a loving God When you do that, you recognize, that God gave these thing to us for our enjoyment and enrichment. He did not give them that we might practice denial of them; He wanted us to hang them. But God wanted us to have them in ways that do not, feed our ego and minister to our self-importance; and the only way that we can do so is to receive them with thanksgiving.

That is what "because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer" means. Consecration means to put something to its proper use, and thus to render it safe for you to use. The habit of giving thanks accomplishes that.

When you take everything as a gift of God, your life, your breath, your family, your friends, your clothing, your food, your circumstances, your trials, your pressures, and your problems and thank God for them, then they are rendered safe. You no longer are the king on the throne, dictating to the rest of the world how to behave; you are a humble recipient of the gift from the Father's hand. Grateful people recognize God's provisions in their lives!!!

Father, thank You for this day and the breath we breathe and gift of life today. Lord, open the storehouses of heaven and pour out Your abundant blessings over us and our family today. Lord, thank You for all that You have given us to sustain our day. Lord, thank You for my friends and family. Lord, we are grateful for Your love, Your mercy, and the gift of eternal life. Lord, use us to teach others to have a thankful heart and to share this gratitude we have with them.

Father, we love You. Amen.