Gratitude
As we wrap up the year, it is pertinent that I rouse your consciousness to thanksgiving. Many of us are accustomed to the unroyal practice of using God to meet our needs and nothing more. We many a time forget that the reason God saved us to be Christians (that’s if you are saved anyway) was primarily for fellowship.
I believe we use God a lot (just like we use our earthly parents too). We say to Him, “Lord, if you will heal me, I will serve you for the rest of my life”, “If you will get me a good job, I will give you a tenth of my earnings”, “If you will give me a wife, I will raise a godly home” and so forth. Some of us, when we got filled with the HolySpirit, we started to use God to make tremendous power available. Many of us don’t know that when a righteous person (A Christian) prays, power is automatically made available (now that’s by the way).
Romans 11:36 (KJV): For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.
One thing I’d like you to know. God is not your house boy; He is not your butler nor is He your Orderly. God is not your mate!
I like how one of our fathers in the faith put it (Past E.A ADEBOYE). He tried to mimic how many of us pray to God even at our best. “Father thank you for today. See you tomorrow”. As funny as this may sound, it is true and I do not believe it is something we are proud of. How can you claim to be a child of God and not spend quality time with your heavenly father getting to know Him better and not on a transactional basis?
In later writing, I will share on fellowship. I want to share briefly on thanksgiving (which is a subset of fellowship). When last did you say “Thank you, Lord”.? We just want to have and keep having. When last did you thank God for your salvation? When last did you look at the skies or the fields or the birds or the land animals with a sense of gratitude?
Thanksgiving is an act of benevolence that our father prizes very highly, thanksgiving is the testifying of the awesomeness of Jesus. It is the spirit of prophecy!
Psalms 22:3 (KJV) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Colossians 3:16 (KJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
It’s time to stop thinking about yourself alone. Immerse yourself in thanksgiving making melody in your heart. Sing of His mercies. Minister to the Lord and do it this time not to get stuff from Him but to really appreciate him for all that He has done. It is time to shift our gazes from all the evil happenings in the world and pay attention in thanksgiving to the seeming inconspicuous wonders that our God does. Start by saying “thank you, daddy”.
Bolu Olatunji
