A Grateful Heart

1 Chronicles 16:8-9

Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

 

Can I write a little about something that is on my heart this morning? It’s gratefulness. Thankfulness. Contentment.

Looking around our world today there is so much discontentment. There is so much sadness, despair and hurt. I fear we have lost our song. It’s not just the world that is feeling down, it’s Christians too. I feel like we’ve lost the thankful spirit that we should have as followers of Christ.

I read this passage in 1 Chronicles this morning and the Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me of his goodness. This passage tells the story of King David preparing a place for the ark of God to reside. After 20 long years, the ark was finally coming home, and David is seen offering sacrifices to God in thankfulness for its return.

David was excited and rejoicing. He was so filled with gratefulness, that he appointed singers and players to worship God in song as the ark was brought home.

1 Chronicles 15:16 - And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

The Bible tells us that on that day, David lifted up a Psalm of joy unto the Lord. I think it’s important to read it in its entirety as it is so full of praise and worship and no detail is left out of his song of praise. So, please, if you want to be blessed by reading the song of praise that was sung that day, make sure to look it up and read it through.

1 Chronicles 16:36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

What a beautiful Psalm and what a beautiful song. I would have loved to have been there and heard it sung and played. What tears of joy must have flowed from the eyes of the people of God as they witnessed such a momentous occasion.

Now to my Sunday morning musings.

How often do I find myself grumbling and complaining about the small calamities that I face each day? How often do my lips pour forth words of discontentment? How often does my tone of voice and the words I say reflect what is in my heart?

Matthew 12:34b …………..for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

I was reading a devotional this week that had this very convicting question.

What if everything I complained about was taken away?

Think about that for a moment.

What if all those things you grumble about, all those moments that annoy, the wait in traffic, the shoes left inconveniently in the hallway, the dishes in the sink, the slow internet, the busy work schedule, the fridge that needs cleaning out, the washing that needs folding? What if it was taken away?

Now, you might look at this list and think, great! I would love for these things to be gone! But stop. Wait. Think.

The wait in traffic, means that you have a mode of transport, other than walking. The shoes in the hall mean you have people in your life that you care about. The dishes in the sink mean you have food to eat. The work schedule shows that you have a job and a means to provide for your family. The fridge that needs cleaning out means that you have more food than some of the poorer peoples of the world.

So, if what you complained about was taken away, then all those blessings that go with the miniscule grievances would also be gone. Food for thought.

Even if you don’t have everything you want, and, spoiler alert, you NEVER will, even if you don’t get your dream list filled, you still have so much to be thankful for. You can find, in each and every day, at least ONE thing to thank God for.

Stop right now and do it. Think of one thing to thank God for. And then get past thinking and begin praising. Verbally lift your voice unto God and thank him for his goodness. Everything we have comes from him. He doesn’t owe us anything. We don’t deserve any good thing, and yet, his abundant love and mercy showers us with blessings every minute of every day, we are just too blind to see it.

Just as the Israelites memories were clouded by their cravings for the things they had in Egypt, we too can be blind to what we ought to be thankful for. The Israelites forgot all the evil that was done to them in Egypt because they were too busy being discontent over what they didn’t have. It caused them to forget all that God HAD done for them.

Numbers 11:5-6

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

God miraculously gave them food in the desert and all they could think of was fish, garlic and leeks. He brought them through the Red Sea and yet, they dreamed of cucumbers and melons.

But let’s not be too hard on them. How about us? Yes, now I’m stepping on some toes. Mine included.

There are days I complain about the long hours and hot days and hard labour, or the dishes in the sink and the never-ending washing. But God has given me the health and strength to be able to rise out of bed each morning and work a long day, and the ability to cook a beautiful meal for my family, and a washing machine that washes at the touch of a button.

What a lot I have to be thankful for.

Does your negativity overshadow your positivity? Is your conversation full of complaining instead of contentment? Does your attitude spill over with ingratitude instead of gratitude?

I want the words of the Psalmist, David, to be my song.

1 Chronicles 16:8-9

Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

I want to be seen as grateful. I want to shout aloud to all who hear, God’s goodness. I want to talk of all his wondrous works. I want to make known God’s mercy and love. I want to sing to him, songs of praise and give him thanks.

When people see me and talk to me, I want my conversation to be uplifting and encouraging and full of thankfulness to God. I want others to walk away feeling happier and joyful, because I took the time to be content and verbally praise God and share his love.

I want to turn all discontentment on its head. I want to flip the switch on negativity. Turn the frown upside down and let it smile. Look at life from a different view.

I want my light to shine. I don’t want to be content to be a flickering candle. I want my attitude to be confronting. And not in a bad way. I want to be able to shine so brightly and radiate such an attitude of gratefulness that others are left wondering why I am joyful during trials and content during hard times. I want to be able to share what God has done for me and give them a reason for my joy. We need to shine as lights in the world!

Philippians 2:14-15

 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Lord, you know I have a long way to go in this area of gratefulness. Help me to see your goodness in every situation. Let thankfulness flow from my lips and open my eyes to see the blessings you so abundantly give. Give me the courage to shine so brightly that others may see my light and ask for a reason of the hope that lies within me.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.