Tag Archives: gratitude

January 1
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New Year’s Day 2015

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:1, KJV)

How’s this for a New Year’s resolution: Enthusiasm for worship with others?

A lot of things conspire to dampen our enthusiasm for worship with others: The sermon doesn’t engage us; the hymns seem random; and — truth be told — the other folks at worship don’t seem to keen to be there, either.

No matter. Perhaps a clue to David’s enthusiasm for approaching the place of corporate worship is found in the preceding psalm (Psalm 121:2): “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”

For all of God’s gifts to us, gratitude and praise is the only appropriate response. In the words of an old song of the church, “count your many blessings; count them one by one.  Count your many blessings, see what God has done!”

Resolve to fill every day of 2015 with gratitude and praise, and look forward to worship with others!  Happy New Year!  – Luther

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October 18
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“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 6:17, NIV)

Even those of us who will not admit to being “rich,” know we aren’t “poor.”

Such folks are commanded “not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth.”

Whether we consider ourselves “rich” or “poor,” gratitude for what we have received; and hope for the future is properly placed only in God, who is the true source of all that we have.

Remember: Worship the Giver, not the gift.  – Luther

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May 3
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“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, NKJV)

The word we translate as “thanks” is used more than 40 times in the New Testament. (And that does not include variants of that word, such as “thanksgiving,” and “gratitude.”)

We have so much for which to be thankful, yet even the children of God are admonished (as Paul did to the Christians in Colosse) to be thankful.  I wonder whether it is because — like it or not — it seems to be our nature to focus on the few things we lack, instead of the many things we have.

As a nation, a day in November is set-aside for giving thanks. As the children of the living God, we are invited to make every day “Thanksgiving Day.” Is there a dearth of evidence of God’s goodness?  – Luther

Reminder: Daily Encouragement will be on break tomorrow; back — Lord willing — on Monday!

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