Thankful Living

It’s common to take inventory of your life and stammer, “Man, this week has been one bad thing after the next!”  It’s not so common to reflect and exclaim, “Man, this week has been one blessing after the next!”  However, wouldn’t life look differently through that perspective?

God gives us the opportunity to view life in this refreshing way.  He tells us, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another (John 1:16).”  

“Grace” means “gifts of love that one does not deserve.”  What kinds of blessings has God given from his grace?  How full is God’s gracious heart that sends them?  Jesus didn’t have to come from heaven to earth, but he did. When he came, he had a one-track mind: to save sinners from their horrific end.  To do this, he needed to live perfectly, die innocently, and rise triumphantly.  He wouldn’t rest until his gracious mission was finished.

Because of grace alone, payment for your brokenness before God has been handled.  Wondering if you’ll go to heaven or not is history!  Without Christ’s victory, life truly would be nothing more than a parade of losses, ending in ultimate loss in hell.  But because of Christ’s victory, life is instead one blessing after the next, ending in the ultimate blessing of life in heaven.  Along the way, we can be sure that we’ll endure difficult loss that causes sadness.  But those losses aren’t eternal.  But our victory in Christ absolutely is.

And so we think about all the blessings we’ve received, one after another: God’s Word.  Christian friends.  The joy of putting God first in life.  The privilege of prayer.  The comfort of others praying on your behalf.  Lungs so that you can breathe.  A good night’s rest.  A way to receive some income.  Beauty in nature.  The assurance of God’s forgiveness.  A secured home in heaven.  Courage to fight temptation.  Wonderful hymn melodies to hum.  Favorite Bible verses to mull over.  The list of “one blessing after another” could go on and on, couldn’t it?

Because of God’s gracious heart, we have all received one blessing after another.  Let that balance you during a time of loss.  Let that invigorate you with renewed purpose for life.

Prayer:  Gracious Savior, I don’t deserve even one rusty nickel from you.  But instead, by your never-ending grace, I have received one blessing after another.  Thank you for knowing what I need before I even ask.  Thank you for graciously providing, protecting, and promising me all of my blessings.  I know that I’m unable to count them, but help me to try!  And give me a heart that is always thankful, more and more, as life goes on.  Amen.