Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 27-29; Luke 17:1-19.
Memory Verse: “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke 17:1-19 (KJV)
Giving thanks for the blessings you have received will make you and the recipient joyous. It is therefore good for both parties. In addition it is a command by God. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV) says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” God expects you to show gratitude to everyone for all the blessings you receive. It is note worthy that thanksgiving is not limited to the receiver.
A story was told of a woman who robbers came to her house to rob her of her belongings. She was seen the next Sunday rejoicing so much and giving thanks to God. When asked why she was so thankful inspite of the robbery, she said she was thanking God because she had things that the robbers came to steal, she was thanking God that she was not the armed robber among many reasons!
When last did you thank God for being able to give money, time, advice etc to others. We must also recognise that Gratitude is not limited to thanking the giver verbally. It includes all actions taken to show you are grateful.
In our memory verse, when one of the ten lepers healed by the Lord Jesus came forward to express his gratitude for making him whole, the Lord added wholeness to his healing. “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke 17:19 (KJV). So gratitude breeds fruitfulness. You get more when you show gratitude for what you received. In the Western part of Nigeria where I come from, it is often said that a hunter that performs sacrifice it’s not because of the animals he has killed but those he will kill in the future. As long as you are expecting future blessings, then show gratitude for what you have by giving thanks to your giver, by blessing the needy with what you have or by telling others of what he has done for you such as witnessing the gospel. It is an act of gratitude. When last did you do this? It is worth noting that if you are continuously grateful, sorrow, bitterness and the likes will be far from you as you will always see reasons to be grateful in every situation and you will draw closer to God.
Action Point: Cultivate a life of gratitude from today and see a positive transformation of your life.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero