There is something about being thankful that changes my heart. Being thankful affects me and those around me. Just six days ago I underwent hernia surgery and now am in recovering. I am thankful that I was able to be to be surgically repaired. I am thankful for an amazing surgeon and other staff who performed the surgery. I was blessed with outstanding nurses and everyone along the way to help me get better. The Lord blessed me, giving me greater insight on how much He cares for us and that He heals us in so many different ways.
Each day as I have recovered, I have spent some time being thankful about some part of my recovery. I have discovered as I have done this, I look at this not as a pain to go through, but a time where the Lord is teaching me so many different things.
Below are some wonderful Bible verses to reflect on in being thankful.
- 1 Thess. 5:18, Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. [1]
- 1 Chronicles 16:34, Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. [2]
- Psalm 9:1, I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. [3]
In our story of the Lost Son, the older brother chose not to be thankful that his younger brother returned.
27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’ ” [4] Luke 15:27-32.
In this strange twist in our story, the Lord shows us how destructive thanklessness is and how it affects those around us. The good news is being thankful is a choice! What can you be thankful about today? Who can you be thankful for?
To hear a conversation about the Parable of the Lost Son, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/journey-with-the-divine-intruder/the-character-of-the-divine-intruder
[1, 2, 3, 4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (1 Th 5:18, 1 Ch 16:34, Ps 9:1, Luke 15″27-32). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.