The song “Give Thanks” by Don Moen that you may have heard starts like this:

“Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks to the Holy One Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son…”

Sometimes people can be ungrateful.  Sometimes we might do something special for someone else, something above and beyond, and we do it because we care…because we love them.  Do you expect anything in return?  Do you expect a “Thank you” or perhaps a “Wow, that was so kind or generous of you.”  Should we expect anything?

How do you think God looks at us when we have been given the gift of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Him?  How should we respond?  Do we sometimes forget the eternal blessings that are ours in Christ and because of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross?

Colossians 3:15-17 says this…

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Our lives are to be lived with perpetual thankfulness for what Christ has done for us.  “Whatever you do” means all of life, whatever we are doing.  Work, play, singing, worshiping, giving to others, caring for family, changing a dirty diaper, whatever it is we do it in the name of the Lord while giving thanks to God for what he has done for us.

Today you will do a lot of things, some pleasant, some unpleasant.  Some fun, and some that are not so fun.  But whatever we do today our heart is to be filled with gratitude and thanks “…because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son“!

Amen!