Give Thanks part 2
The attitude of gratitude. That's what it comes down to. Not necessarily bowing your head and closing your eyes and asking God for stuff. Not throwing a penny into the wishing well and hoping for the best. But looking to heaven and seeing things as they really are. Seeing that we have been supplied with everything we will ever need. We have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness. We have been blessed with all Spiritual blessings in the heavenly Christ. And that, by the way, is where our praise comes from. We don't praise God in order to try to get Him to move on our behalf. We praise God because He already moved, and it was the most praiseworthy thing that has ever happened in the history of history. God gave us His only begotten Son. Jesus gave His life for us and to us. He proved His love for us by laying His life down for us. When we were sinners. When we couldn't do anything for ourselves, much less for Him. And here's a big key: God never wanted anything FROM us. He wanted to give everything TO us. Look at Psalm 50:12, "If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." God has always had everything He would ever need. He created everything. Its all His to begin with. But look at what happened way back in Eden's misty garden, "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Genesis 2:15). He finished the work, and then He gave it to us. So that we could take care of it, and enjoy it. That's all He ever wanted us to do. Enjoy His creation. That's why He created US. God is love. He wanted someone TO love. So He created us. And then, at the appointed time of the cross (and really the cross was just the fulfillment of what happened when the Lamb was slain at the foundation of the world), God manifested Himself--His love--to us, and in us, and as us. He filled us to overflowing with Himself. He gave us the Holy Spirit--the Love Receptor--so that we might know and believe the love that He has always loved us with. So that we might be able to receive the gift He gave us. And in receiving it, release it. And in releasing it, experience it. That's what this life is all about: Obeying the New Commandment that says, "Love one another as Jesus loves you." And that's not something we need to do... or else. That's something we ought to do because it is the very best thing TO do. Listen, there are consequences to your actions, but I don't believe the God who is love is out there punishing people for messing up. I believe our heavenly Father lifts us up when we fall... and keeps us from falling! He doesn't want us to be "in trouble." That's why He made us right with Him. He made us the righteousness of God in Christ. When we were dead in our trespasses and sins He made us alive in Him, by living in us! That's what we're thankful for. Not the petty stuff we get so tied up in. Have you ever heard someone pray, or even say, "God's gonna get you!" Guys. God got us on the cross. Drew us all into Himself. Planted Himself in all of us. Died so we could die. Rose again so we could live. Made the ultimate sacrifice by giving us everything He has and everything He is. And all we ought to do is give thanks. Share the wealth. Love each other. You show that you're thankful for love... by loving people. Loving God BY loving people!