"Thank you for mommy and daddy, for grandma and grandpa, and thank you for my kitty, and...."
Do you remember praying like that before bedtime? I do and I think the Lord enjoyed it. Psalm 22:3 tells us that God lives in and is honored with the praises of His people. And truly praising God reveals a foundation of thankfulness.
It's easy for a child to be thankful because he/she doesn't have too much baggage to make him unthankful. Jesus said in Luke 18:17, "Anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God."
I remember sitting around the table on Thanksgiving days with dad and mom. Dad asked mom to state something for which she was thankful; then going around the table, each of us 10 kids would give thanks for something that happened in the past year; and dad would finish and pray.
Carol and I kept that tradition in our family. Well, Carol was dog-tired after cooking for two days and doesn't remember stating our "round of thanks" every year. She said, "But we did it quite a bit."
"And thank you for my new bicycle, for going to the zoo, and for snow to play in...."
Each prayer was a window through which we could see inside their little mind, and we never knew what each child would pray about. Sometimes the event for which they were thankful was a hint we would use as a surprise for their next birthday, although the surprise was delayed at times. For example: When Rebecca wanted to go ice skating for her birthday -- in June -- we had to delay that gift for several months.
"And Lord, thank you for protection from the drunk driver when we were on vacation."
Yes, as the kids grew, their level of thankfulness deepened. And that deepening level of thankfulness should reveal a deepening love for almighty God who loved us and gave Himself for us.
"Thank you, Father, for your love for us, and for inviting us into your family. Thank you for eternal life through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
But do you know there is one more step the Lord would like us to take? Remember what President John F. Kennedy said (probably borrowing it from Dr. George St John, one of the President's former headmasters at the Choate School in Connecticut)? "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
Jesus wants us to grow to that level in our relationship with Him. The attitude Jesus would like to see in us is, "Lord, You have done so much for me in this life, and I am eternally grateful for that. But now, what can I do for YOU?"
Yes, we will always have the privilege of approaching the Lord with our needs as it says in Matthew 7:7-8, "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for." James 4:3 balances the thought with: "When you ask, sometimes you don't get what you want because your motive is wrong."
The key is what Jesus said in John 14:13 -- "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." We need to think about what God wants, and ask for wisdom to accomplish it.
We Jews and Christians have lived with the concept that God is here for us. Whatever our need is, just "Take it to the Lord." And that is correct -- Jesus will always be here for us. But we need to take that next step and be available to Him.
This Thanksgiving season, let's take that step -- and continue in it.
"Lord, thank you for ALL Your many blessings. Now I want to bless and honor You."
You can start by living according to Philippians 4:8. "Think about what is true, honorable and right; about what is pure, lovely, and admirable. Meditate on things that are excellent and worthy of praise." And God will show you what to do.
May God bless you this Thanksgiving.
-- Gene Linzey is a speaker, author, and former pastor. He is president of the Siloam Springs Writers Guild. Send comments and questions to [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Religion on 11/24/2016