Grateful Hearts

What's the first thing you think of when you see Thanksgiving coming up on the calendar? Is it the delicious turkey dinner, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie? Is it the afternoon devoted to the marquee NFL football game? Is it the time spent preparing your house for visiting family members with one eye on the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in the kitchen? Is it that nap on your couch after a hearty feast?

If you answered "yes" to any of these, don't feel bad. I'm not here to say that it's wrong to look forward to such things. They are very much a part of what makes the holiday uniquely special for each of us. I only bring them up because I'm drawing from my own personal experience; I look forward to each of these on Thanksgiving (well, not so much the nap - I don't do naps very well). I have many fond memories based on these.

Yet as I considered a devotional to write reflecting on this holiday, it occured to me. How much time do I spend thanking God for being able to enjoy pleasures like these? How often have I been more apt to plunge head-first into the holiday festivities without taking the time to reflect on my Heavenly Father Who makes it all possible? How much of my heart is grateful, and how much of it is greedy? Definitely more of the latter.

I think it's easier for us to lose sight of the joy and pleasure in our blessings when we lose sight of our "power source." It's like trying to make your radio or flashlight work without fresh batteries. All you get is a lot of static or a dull beam, or nothing at all. As a result, you can't enjoy the music or the light they provide until you remember the power source they need to work properly. The same thing happens when we're not fully in tune with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God Almighty is our source of power. Apart from Him, we have nothing, and we are nothing, which is a lot worse off than a dead radio or flashlight. When we aren't abiding by the will of the Holy Spirit, it's a lot harder to find joy in the things that we do. Even if it's time spent with family around the dinner table, we aren't into it. Something is missing. Our greedy hearts aren't right with God.

Let me clarify what I mean here. Say you're seated with your parents, grandparents, cousins, and relatives at the table, and you're sharing the Thanksgiving meal together. What's going through your mind? Is your attention focused on what the others around you are saying? Or are you already transitioning into the next 'big' thing you've got coming up? Maybe it's going back to class on Monday, your evening work shift, or some other event unrelated to your present surroundings. Instead of soaking it in, you're getting caught up in the holiday rush, not taking the time to listen and plug in to what's taking place around you. Things can get crowded without time for reflection. And that's a recipe for a greedy heart.

I know what you're probably thinking right now. "Yeah, easy for you to say. You had time to sit down and write this whole devotional. How can I carve time out of my busy schedule for reflection?" I won't pretend that it's an easy thing to do because it's not. We aren't grateful creatures by virtue of our sinful nature. Most of the time, I'm more concerned with gratifying myself than just plain being grateful. That's why we desperately need God's help. We need to return to our power source, and that is our Lord and Savior who died for us and was raised to glory so we could be redeemed back unto Himself. We need to have the attitude of David, who, while not a perfect follower, repeatedly thanked God even during trials and suffering. Psalm 35:18 stands out particularly in that it is said to have been written while Saul was pursuing David, intending to kill him. "I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you." David remained thankful to God and cried out to Him to deliver justice (God's, not David's) to his enemies. Verse 23 says, "Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord."

It's that simple (and that hard). If we call out to God, He will answer us. If we are willing to drop our burdens at His feet and surrender our will, He will take care of them and show us a better way. If we go back to the source of our power and get refreshed in the Holy Spirit, then we will experience a joy like nothing this world can give us! Restoration in the Spirit cleanses our hearts of greed and makes room for gratefulness. We won't be able to help being thankful to God for all that He's done in our lives, for the good times and the bad. Best of all, we feel a stirring; a call to share that love and joy with others who need it just as desperately. But that can only happen if we ourselves are in tune with the Spirit.

This is my prayer of Thanksgiving. Father God, I am on my knees in awe of You. Your glory and majesty is revealed in so many ways, I could never count them all. Thank You for being Who You are, my God, my Father, and my Redeemer. Thank You for loving me first, even though I have been stubborn and shunned You and chosen my will over Yours so many times. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, not just for His death and resurrection for my sins, but for His true, perfect example of righteousness and holy living in this world. Thank You for using me as a vessel of Your love and hope even when I don't realize it. Help me to be grateful when I'm tempted to be greedy, and to fortify my heart with your Holy Spirit so that your love can shine through me. Thank You for my parents, family, church, and friends, and all that they mean to me, and all the lessons that You have taught me through them. Help us all to seek Your joy and peace in the midst of this hectic holiday season, and to accept that whatever happens in life, good or bad, it is for Your glory. I pray all of these things in the name of Your son Jesus. Amen.

Song of the Day: Ray Boltz - "Thank You for Giving to the Lord"

I dreamed I went to heaven
and You were there with me
We walked upon the streets of gold
Beside the crystal sea.

We heard the angels singing
Then someone called your name.
You turned and saw this young man
And he was smiling as he came.

And he said, "Friend you may not know me now"
And then he said, "But wait"
You used to teach my Sunday School
When I was only eight.

And every week you would say a prayer
Before the class would start.
And one day when you said that prayer
I asked Jesus in my heart."

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.

Then another man stood before you
And said, "Remember the time
A missionary came to your church
And his pictures made you cry.

You didn't have much money
But you gave it anyway.
Jesus took the gift you gave
And that's why I am here today."

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.

One by one they came
Far as the eye could see
Each life somehow touched
By your generosity.

Little things that you had done
Sacrifices made.
Unnoticed on the earth
In heaven now proclaimed.

And I know up in heaven
You're not supposed to cry.
But I am almost sure
There were tears in your eyes.

As Jesus took your hand
And you stood before the Lord.
He said, "My child look around you.
Great is your reward."

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave.

Verse of the Day: "In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18