A Heart of Gratitude
In His Presence: “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
The little boy looked up at his father and grinned from ear to ear. He said, “Thanks, Dad!” as he gently rubbed his hand over the new baseball glove and then, with a balled fist, pounded it into the glove’s center. He had wanted a new glove for weeks, but he didn’t know how to ask for one. How did his dad know what he needed?
“Wow, this is great!” An endless line of happy comments came tumbling out of his mouth as he proudly displayed the glove to his mom. “I’ll be able to catch Bobby’s infield throws now! How did you know, Dad? Wanna play some catch?”
Who could resist such a request? Certainly not this father. He was overwhelmed by his son’s gratitude and appreciation.
When was the last time you thanked your heavenly Father for something that He gave to you? Maybe you are thinking that it doesn’t seem like you have received much lately. It is time to look deeper.
This young boy didn’t ask for a new glove because he knew his family was having financial trouble. Instead of lamenting over the difficulty, he became determined to keep using the glove he had. His father, however, had noticed his son’s need and turned to God in prayer. He didn’t know how the Lord would answer, but he believed God would. So, he also began to thank God every morning for hearing his prayer and answering this simple request. A few days later, he wasn’t surprised when a friend called, telling him that there was extra work that needed to be done at his office. The father jumped at the opportunity, and when he was handed a paycheck, he headed to the nearest sporting goods store. God always meets our needs, and we need to say “Thank You, Lord.”
Your heavenly Father has a solution for your situation. Whenever you express gratitude to Him, His heart is filled with great pleasure because He knows that you have learned how to be thankful in all things.
One Minute Please
Thanksgiving is the recognition of God’s goodness with a grateful heart. It is simply gratitude expressed to God for His faithful, loving care.
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