Last time we were reading together, we were discussing how a majority of our prayers are more request or "taking" oriented. That is OK given the proper attitude. However, in our personal prayer times we should remember the giving as well.
In fact, if we were to do anything better in our prayers it should be this attitude and action of Giving. What do we mean by giving? Giving to God? Giving what to God?
Isn't it interesting that we fall so short of seeing God as a genuine person with feelings. We rightfully think of Him as a Sovereign Being with Omnipotence and judgement at His disposal, but we seldom see the nature of His loving heart. He desires we give back to Him. You see the painting here in the article, it is called simply "Grace." This painting (a copy) has hung in my Grandma's house for as long as I can remember. So simple it is in its imagery, yet how profound in its message. The subject of the painting is simply doing what God delights in the most. Giving thanks. All the elements are present: the person, the Word of God, the daily bread, the soup, the utensils for eating, the table, but most importantly the attitude. It is most true that we as Christians can and should give back to God our money, our service, our talents and skills, our lives, but in all that He is more delighted when we give Him our heart of gratitude. When we pray, our hearts should be set on thanking Him for all things. When we do so we are expressing our complete dependence on Him and we are grateful that He so mighty should favor us wonderfully the lowly.
My dad's side of the family at the dinner table, usually at Christmas, would call on me to "return thanks." I always thought that an odd saying, but you know when we pray that is what we do. We return our thankfulness and point it to the ear of the Almighty. As He has allowed others to be thankful for kind deeds we have shown them, so to shall we not all return our thanks for the immense blessings He has given us.
Simply put,
Everything that we are, everything that we have, every possession, every dollar, every skill, every morsel of food, every talent, every good memory, every joy, every hope, every ounce of bodily strength, every idea of mental capacity, every blessing in any form has all passed from His hand to our being. How dare we not acknowledge the Source as the Source has acknowledged us?
Perhaps the Psalmist David is the one most credited for offering praise and Thanksgivings the most to God. But it was the Apostle Paul who reminded us in 2 Corinthians 9:11 that we are Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. In the fourth chapter of this same book Paul speaks of His afflictions with thankfulness to God because it was being used for the sakes of his readers and to redound to the Glory of God.
We have Jesus Christ, need any other excuse in the heart for being downcast be created? I forget, you do too, when things are tough and are more than what we consider to be our fair share of suffering doled out to us, we should remember Christ and His sacrifice on Calvary. What Calvary gives the believer is the supreme guarantee among many things that we are not always going to face illness, pain, loss, hurt, hardship, despair, loneliness, disease, wrongdoing, unprecedented and undeserved torture, etc. that One Day, most assuredly, because we place our trust in Jesus Christ and what He did at Calvary, all the former things Shall be passed away and Eternity holds no fear or trepidation for the saints. All of what we experience shall be swallowed up with death in everlasting hope and glory. Shall we praise God and give Him thanks?
Nothing can be named or spoken that can give God more joy than to hear the true heartfelt thankfulness given from His children's lips. Let's make more of our daily prayer time a simple time of giving.
Father, Thank You, for Jesus Christ our Savior and Hope. Thank you God for supplying all our needs as Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19. Thank you for us having something to eat today and for our senses and our breathing this earthly air as it is a sign that you love us and are looking out for us. We have so much to give you thanks and praise for, help us not to be slack or vainly ritualistic in our offerings to you. Thank you Father for all the hope we have and the home awaiting us with all the saints for the unending expanse of Eternity. In thy name we praise, Amen.
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