TODAY’S VERSE:
Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
What do the following statements have in common? “I wish it was Friday… If only it was summer already… I can’t wait until I’m 16 and can drive.” Well, they all express the idea of looking towards the future for happiness instead of enjoying the moment you are currently living in. Have you ever heard the saying, “today is a gift, that’s why it’s called ‘the present’”? Today’s verse tells us that we are to rejoice (be joyful) and be glad for the gift of today that has been given to you by God, Himself.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
What have your parents taught you to do when someone gives you a gift? We are to thank them, right? Why? Do we show gratitude just because our parents told us to? No! We should say “thank you” because we are truly grateful that someone thought of us and took the time to get us a gift. So, if we are to thank people for the gifts they give us, shouldn’t we take the time to thank God, the ultimate Giver?
1 Chronicles 16:34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!
What exactly should we thank God for?
1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
We are to be thankful for everything in our lives, but here is a list of specific blessings you can thank God for, to get you started in your prayers: your family, church, pets, comfy bed, your body that can see, smell, taste, hear, run, laugh, and sing. How about the fact that God woke you up this morning to live another day by His grace? We could go on and on listing all of the many blessings in our lives, but let’s remember the greatest Gift of all; Jesus Christ and the salvation He made possible by His work on the cross.
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Now let us ask you this- when you give a gift, what do you hope for? You want the receiver to enjoy the present, right? Well, God wants the same for all of us. He wants us to be content with the gifts He has given us and not wish we had something else. As we make time to read our Bibles, pray, and obey His commands, every day, He will teach us how to be grateful and content with our lives. Then, we will truly understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he said:
Philippians 4:11-12 …for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Thank you, God, for today and for all of the many blessings in our lives. We are so grateful for them and, most of all, for YOU!