God has given us something that is quite extraordinary to us that we don’t value as much as it deserves.  In the hustle and bustle of daily life we can forget it even exists let alone something to practice that will most certainly positively impact us.

It is a gift and a spiritual wonder when we embark on giving thanks as our offering to God.  When God instituted sacrifice and offerings, He commanded the thank and peace offering.  Though the sacrificial system has been done away with we can still continue this offering by simply uttering two small words, ‘thank you!’  Jesus said that the rocks would cry out if there was no praise to honor Him – God’s very presence demands thanksgiving and praise to which creation gives it willingly and continually you need only listen to the birds sing!

I am talking about giving daily the offering of thanksgiving to the Lord.  We are so absorbed in our lives in its troubles and annoyances that to be thankful is just not in our thoughts.  We also have taken for granted all that we have been given by God.  We take for granted the breath we breathe, that our heart beats and the beauty vast around us.  We take for granted how much God works on our behalf protecting us.  Or how He directs our lives and situations for our best.  We take for granted the gift of new life Jesus bought for us to live, forgiven and free from the penalty of sin, in this alone we will spend eternity in giving thanks to Jesus so why not begin now.  In a sense we are like the spoiled kids who get so much given to them, that cost them nothing and so they treat what they have with no respect for it.  You know those kind of kids who never say thank you or just grab and take, well, we are (often) just like them!

We get caught up and consumed by the things that just aren’t going right in our lives.  Not fast enough, not slow enough, never enough, enough already!  We have made for ourselves little worlds that will always give us reasons to be unhappy and for complaint.

When we begin to make it our habit to acknowledge the Lord’s goodness and all that He gives us, our little world will grow bigger and we will realize that all those hassles and incompetent people vanish as we will see things differently with a thankful heart.  All the annoyances of life and reasons for complaint will fall off us and something comes in to take its place:  joy.  It is the joy of the Lord and is our strength.  Instead of life sucking us dry we are replenished and able to replenish others!   The Lord opens up to us so we may see His goodness and thanking Him becomes easier and an honor to do.

May we give to God His due as we bring to Him our daily thank offerings, with true hearts and ask Him to show us all that is around us in what He gives us when we feel  complain coming on!

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.                1 Thess 5:18