Psalm 107:1, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." John 14:23, "Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

 

Think

God knows how forgetful we can be. He knows how easily we can forget to thank Him, the ultimate Giver, and start acting as if we're the source of our own prosperity. Such pride is the forerunner of all sin. And when it rears its ugly head, our level of obedience to God starts to diminish. But thankfulness is a part of obedience. So essentially, we must remember not to forget! We should be intentional about thanking our great God, whose love endures forever. Jesus said, "If you love Me, obey My commandments." Thus, our obedience is an expression of our love and respect for God. He is the Author of love, and knowing this is what sets believers apart. We strive to please God because we've seen His goodness and we trust in His promises. And as we move farther from who we were and closer to becoming who He wants us to be, we find ourselves obeying not out of duty, but of the overflowing joy we have in our hearts through Christ. Therefore, our obedience is a part of thankfulness, so not only are we thanks giving, we're thanks living! Here's the phrase that pays. Thankfulness is a part of obedience, and obedience is a part of thankfulness!

 

Act

Read Psalm 107 as a testament to God's goodness and enduring love. And continue to thank God for things you usually forget to thank Him for, through both your words and actions.

 

Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for caring about every detail of my life. Teach me the power of a thankful heart as I seek to "be joyful always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances" (I Thessalonians 5:16-18). Today I want to bring a smile to Your face through thanks living! In Christ's name I pray, Amen.