True Thanks

"I don't need the bulls you sacrifice; I don't need the blood of goats. What I want instead is your thanks to God; I want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High. Trust me in times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory ... But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of our God." Psalm 50:13-15, 23

On many occasions, I would even say most, my kids go out of their way to thank their mother and I when we do something for them or give them something. It's truly amazing. No matter how often we hear it, we genuinely appreciate it. Most often, I think to myself, "Wow, their mom did a great job raising them!" Gratitude is a really really big deal.

God, through Asaph the singer, poet and prophet, clearly addressed a significant problem in the hearts of his people. They had replaced worship with religion. Motions with no internal substance. Rituals devoid of meaning. What was the pivotal issue in this collapse of connection with God? True thanks. Gratitude and appreciation for who God is and what he had done for them had dissipated in the flow of their every days.

If you're like me, your prayers are far more intense, focused and faithful when their emphasis is request. We beg, plead and cry out to God when storms blow into our life, which is good. However, an intensity of gratitude also needs to be the steady strong undercurrent of our relationship with him. Consider this question ... What would I be left with today if all I would have is that which I thanked God for yesterday?

Grace and Peace,

Tom Wiles
tom@fallcreekchristian.org

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