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Attitude of Gratitude

The fourth Thursday of November is set aside as Thanksgiving Day in the United States.  On this day, it is common to eat turkey, so much so, that this day is sometimes referred to as Turkey Day. Even though the original observance was meant to show gratitude towards God for a bountiful harvest, the modern incarnation has evolved into an indulgent secular orgy of food. What does the Holy Bible say about gratitude and thankfulness?

1 Chronicles 23:30
And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

It was a responsibility of the Levites, the priesthood of Israel, to thank and praise God at morning and night. Gratitude is something that needs to be shown often, even to God. It requires an attitude that acknowledges the generosity of others in our life and God is so willing to be generous to us as we obey him. Having a practice of being thankful to God at morning and night is a good practice to have, even if all we have to be thankful for is our life.

2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Paul understood the need for gratitude and expressed his thanks even for what is needed. Even though the Holy Spirit is needed for salvation, Paul did not have an entitlement attitude that sadly we see too often in the world today. An attitude of entitlement does not fit well with the attitude if gratitude. Those who receive a government entitlement are best served to be thankful of the entitlement, especially when interacting with others who administer the entitlement.

Psalm 107:1
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

A recurring theme of many Psalms is the need to be thankful to God because his mercy endures. Mercy is an unearned gift. There is nothing one can do to earn mercy, one can only ask for mercy.  As we benefit from the attitudes of others, we need to be thankful and we need to have attitudes that benefit others as well.

Luke 6:27-38
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

A challenge in our day living is to remain thankful when others are unthankful. Encountering a person who is unthankful does not give us license to be unthankful. Many have met at least one person who is disagreeable. Some of us have even met a person who hated or despised us. Even with these people we must keep an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude, expressed without an expectation of return, is based in love. As we love without an expectation of return, as we love our enemies, as we love those who despise us we maintain our attitude of gratitude.  We have much to be thankful for God is good and his mercy endures forever.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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