"Humble" Thanksgiving

 

 

 (Photo credit: damancd.wordpress.com)

"You see, all have sinned, and all their futile attempts to reach God in His glory fail. Yet they are now saved and set right by His free gift of grace through the redemption available only in Jesus the Anointed." (Romans 3:23-24, The Voice)

"We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God through our own efforts. We must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest spiritual blessing we receive is when we come to the knowledge that we are destitute. Until we get there, our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us as long as we think we are sufficient in and of ourselves. We must enter into His kingdom through the door of destitution.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest)

On this Thanksgiving Day, we pause to consider the blessings of God. Unfortunately, our expressions of thanksgiving are often no more than a tip of the hat to God as we go on about the business of our self-sufficient lives. We speak words and prayers of thanks, but live as if it all depends on us.

Sometimes we are even aware of those in need and we pray for them, asking God to bless them and thanking Him that we are not like them. But, apart from the unmerited grace of God, we are like them.

My prayer for today is that I will remember how utterly dependent I am on the grace of God. I will likely be called on to offer the prayer at a large family gathering today. I am praying even now for The Lord to put me in the proper frame of mind.

"Happy Thanksgiving" seems a shallow greeting. Perhaps we should wish one another a "Humble Thanksgiving."

How will you cultivate a proper sense of gratitude today?

I'd love to hear your ideas on cultivating gratitude.  Please leave a comment below.