Have you given a gift lately? Did the recipient say "thank you". If not, you may have thought they were just rude!
What if you had to mail the gift, and then you wondered if it had ever arrived. You wondered, because the recipient never acknowledged receiving the gift and never bothered to say thank you. And again, you thought......how rude!
And so you decided you just wouldn't be bothered with gift-giving any more. After all, if the people you give gifts to don't bother to acknowledge receipt of the gifts, and if they don't bother to thank you for the gifts, then you can't be bothered to give them. Right?
Aren't you glad God doesn't think like we do!
When was the last time you received a gift? Yes, I know that Christmas was a few months ago, and it may not be time for your birthday yet. But think about the last gift you received and whether or not you expressed your thanks.
I'm not so much talking about Christmas or birthday gifts. What about the fact that you woke up this morning? What about the air you are breathing? What about the eyesight to see a new day or to read this post? What about the smartphone or computer or tablet on which you are reading this post.
And before you tell me that your phone/computer/tablet was not a gift, that you bought it for yourself, stop and think a minute. Who gave you the ability to do a job and make a paycheck so that you could buy that device?
"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (James 1:17 NASB)
Think about that carefully. Every gift is from God! So exactly how many of those gifts have you taken time to say thank you for so far today? And how many of those gifts......the air you breathe, your eyesight, another day of life......do you just take for granted? If God thought like we think, He would probably be saying "how rude!" But aren't you glad He doesn't? Does God stop giving simply because we are too rude, too busy, too self-absorbed to thank Him? No.
"The LORD's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB)
It's a new season. And although in much of the country, including here on this mountain, it doesn't feel very much like spring (it's snowing as I type), a new season is a great opportunity to begin a new habit. A habit of gratitude, in this case. Might we use this as an opportunity to begin a habit of intentional gratitude. Toward our family. Our friends. Our co-workers. Other church members. Toward God. Most of all, toward God.
Particularly as we enter this Holy Week, as we are in this season of reflecting on God's greatest gift to us, might I suggest that we include in our reflections and our celebrations a time of thanksgiving for all that this week, and the events it commemorates, means to us. And as we are remembering to be thankful to our Lord for His sacrifice on our behalf, perhaps that attitude of thanksgiving might spill out on all areas of our lives, and on those around us as well.
Why not begin today? Say "thank you".....even for the little things. Begin a journal of reasons to be thankful. Begin to notice the things people do for you, and acknowledge that. Thank your neighbor.....or your parents.....or your teacher....or your mailmain. Pay attention to your manners......don't be rude! Be thankful!
Most of all, in this Holy Week, on this first day of Passover, give thanks to God for the Passover Lamb, who gave His life to pay the penalty for all our sin.
"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 ESV)
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." (1 Peter 3:18 NASB)
"And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15b ESV)
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