What does it mean to be thankful? As we start the prep work for our annual day of Thanksgiving in the United States, we should stop for a minute and think about the things we are grateful for. The Bible often points to David as the ultimate example for how to live a thankful heart. Consider Psalm 100.
Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before Him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are His.
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving;
go into His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and His faithfulness continues to each generation. (NLT)
David had a pattern of thinking that helped him to think on the positive things, making the feeling of gratitude grow within his heart. The psalms he wrote was an outward sign of this gratitude: the expression of thanksgiving.
I recently heard a quote at a community thanksgiving event that struck me. I found the quote in an article written by Thomas S. Monson. "Often, we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don't get around to it. Someone has said that 'feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.'"
Thank-you for the things you are doing. Thank-you for the attention you give your families, your churches, your communities, and your Lord.
Kathy ... what a profound quote. I'm going to steal that one for myself ... and try to put it to use in my own life. Thank you very much dear one.
ReplyDelete