Everyday Thanks
“Can you name something you are thankful for this past week?” I observed as this question was posed to a small group of 2nd graders on a recent Sunday morning. For some in the group, the answers came easily while other looked a bit perplexed. The leader when on to provide prompts to help the thought process. She looked directly at one of the struggling little girls. “Did you do any cleaning this week?” This resulted in a slight head nod. “Do you have your own bedroom?” This got a negative nod. The leader didn’t miss a beat and continued to prompt her. “Do you have your own bed?” This did lead to a positive response, yet she continued to hold the perplexed look. I smiled. How many of us say thanks for our beds?
Later that same day I received the most interesting of group texts from my brother-in-law Mark. He is retired and lives in Georgia. After having a conversation with my husband Dave, this is what he shared, “I mentioned my ‘bed build’ participation to Dave when he and I spoke recently…here is a bit more info for y’all…I spent half of yesterday delivering and assembling beds for families in-need in the local area. At the end of the month I’ll join guys and gals to cut and pre-drill the wood components to get ready for the next round of bed deliveries. I am learning that this is a pretty interesting program…and apparently, has chapters across the country doing the same thing in their own local neighborhoods on a constant and on-going basis. Who knew?! Not me…”. And I did not know either. Clearly those who received these gifts would be people who would be thankful for their beds.
Look at God pointing out to me that even our beds can be a blessing for which we can and maybe should be thankful!! How many other blessings in our life do we overlook because they have become so common place for us? A place to live? Furniture to sit on? Clothes to wear? Or something else?
The Israelites were told to, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34) In the New Testament we are instructed by the writers of I Thessalonians to, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:17-18)
It’s often more intuitive for us to focus on what’s not going well, where help is needed, or how we have failed. That’s not all God wants from us. He wants us to appreciate his gifts to us.
We read in Matthew 7:9-11 these words spoken by Jesus, “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
He gives us good gifts! Thanking him can be our last response or our first and continual response. Our choice!
He asks us to give thanks not because he needs to be thanked but instead it puts our heart and thoughts in the right place allowing us to be content in our circumstances.
Look around the room or area in which you are reading. What comes to mind right now that is an everyday item that it would be something for which it would be appropriate to give thanks?
Our challenge is to everyday be thankful for the gifts God has given us and telling him we are thankful. In doing so, contentment may follow!
JW