Lately, every time that I have been at my small group, they seem to touch on a subject, and then come home to do my devotions at night is exactly what we had talked about only hours before. So, in my devotions tonight, it seemed to be exactly that, and so I wanted to share what I had read tonight.
Day 28 - A Thankful Attitude
'Thank you! Everything in me says "Thank You!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: "Thank You!" Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in, you made my life large with strength.' - Psalm 138:1-3 The Message
REFLECTION
Our lives can easily get too complex. Too busy. Too full. Too complicated. Every now and then we need to get off the train of activity, slow down, and pause to think about all the amazing blessings God brings into our lives every day. It's easy to coast through life until we have a reality check and see just how much we have been given. These moments of realization, of gratitude, are my most intense times of worship. Times when I really thank God and deeply praise Him.
I love the simplicity of the song "Thank You." Whether we're consumed with our busyness in the good times or trying to see our way through the tough times, we need to be reminded of the truth of the lyric:
"Something I know is amiss in my soul.
My eyes are on me.
This should not be.
I'll praise you from the center of my fire."
We tend to get in trouble when we spend too much time with our eyes focussed on ourselves rather than dwelling on the things that most please God. You might be going through the "center of the fire" right now, or you may feel as though you are on top of the world. Either way, we are admonished to give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Being thankful to God should help motivate us to live lives of purity before Him. It is because of all that He has done for us that we want to please Him with our attitudes, words, and actions.
LOOKING FURTHER
Psalm 136 is a great psalm to meditate on when the theme for the day is thanksgiving. In these twenty-six verses, the psalmist itemizes all the good things God has done for which he is grateful. God's goodness; His sovereignty over all; His great wonders; His creation of heaven and earth, the sun and the moon; His deliverance of His people from Egypt; His victories in the Promised Land; and the freedom He offers to His people. He realizes that God's people are to be in a continual attitude of thanksgiving.
We are admonished in Colossians 3:17 "Let every detail in your lives - words, actions, whatever - be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." (The Message). And again in Hebrews 13:15 "Let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name" (NLT). It's an attitude that we must work at cultivating.
LIVING IT OUT
When was the last time you listed on a piece of paper all the things for which you are thankful? Think of the huge blessins in your life as well as the little ones, the ones you often take for granted (like clean drinking water and shelter), and also those you thank God for every day. Write them all down. Then place the list inside your Bible. The next time you are going through the 'center of the fire," pull the list out and give thanks to God again for the blessings in your circumstances.
This comes from my devotional called "Pure: A 90 day devotional for the mind, the body, and the Spirit" by Rebecca St. James.
Day 28 - A Thankful Attitude
'Thank you! Everything in me says "Thank You!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: "Thank You!" Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in, you made my life large with strength.' - Psalm 138:1-3 The Message
REFLECTION
Our lives can easily get too complex. Too busy. Too full. Too complicated. Every now and then we need to get off the train of activity, slow down, and pause to think about all the amazing blessings God brings into our lives every day. It's easy to coast through life until we have a reality check and see just how much we have been given. These moments of realization, of gratitude, are my most intense times of worship. Times when I really thank God and deeply praise Him.
I love the simplicity of the song "Thank You." Whether we're consumed with our busyness in the good times or trying to see our way through the tough times, we need to be reminded of the truth of the lyric:
"Something I know is amiss in my soul.
My eyes are on me.
This should not be.
I'll praise you from the center of my fire."
We tend to get in trouble when we spend too much time with our eyes focussed on ourselves rather than dwelling on the things that most please God. You might be going through the "center of the fire" right now, or you may feel as though you are on top of the world. Either way, we are admonished to give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Being thankful to God should help motivate us to live lives of purity before Him. It is because of all that He has done for us that we want to please Him with our attitudes, words, and actions.
LOOKING FURTHER
Psalm 136 is a great psalm to meditate on when the theme for the day is thanksgiving. In these twenty-six verses, the psalmist itemizes all the good things God has done for which he is grateful. God's goodness; His sovereignty over all; His great wonders; His creation of heaven and earth, the sun and the moon; His deliverance of His people from Egypt; His victories in the Promised Land; and the freedom He offers to His people. He realizes that God's people are to be in a continual attitude of thanksgiving.
We are admonished in Colossians 3:17 "Let every detail in your lives - words, actions, whatever - be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." (The Message). And again in Hebrews 13:15 "Let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name" (NLT). It's an attitude that we must work at cultivating.
LIVING IT OUT
When was the last time you listed on a piece of paper all the things for which you are thankful? Think of the huge blessins in your life as well as the little ones, the ones you often take for granted (like clean drinking water and shelter), and also those you thank God for every day. Write them all down. Then place the list inside your Bible. The next time you are going through the 'center of the fire," pull the list out and give thanks to God again for the blessings in your circumstances.
This comes from my devotional called "Pure: A 90 day devotional for the mind, the body, and the Spirit" by Rebecca St. James.
