'And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.'
- Colossians 3:15
'Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.'
- Hebrews 12:28-29
'From the plan of salvation I learn that the true driving force in authentic Christian living is, and ever must be, not the hope of gain, but the heart of gratitude.'
- J.I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness, p. 75
'In short, then, the grace of God in the Cross of Christ leads to thanksgiving in his people, which in turn naturally leads to obedience.'
-Dane Ortlund, A New Inner Relish, p. 25
Almighty God, Father of all Mercies,
we, thine unworthy servants,
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men.
- The Book of Common Prayer
Thankfulness testifies to the truthfulness of the Christian life. I'm not naturally thankful, but simply put - gratitude and new life go hand in hand. In Christ my greatest need has been met and to be ungrateful would be to malign the God Who has shown me mercy. Unmitigated grace is the impetus for unexcelled gratitude. The Christian is assured that his sins have been forgiven. Think of this…enmity no longer exists between the Christian and His Creator/Redeemer. In a body of flesh God has redeemed men and women for Himself. Upon a Cross of otherworldly suffering the God-man happily took the place of His people. An exchange. An unfair trade. Here, life met death, and for a moment it seemed that death would prevail. Then, on a resurrection morning the God-man rose and broke open the sealed pardon. Captivity itself became captive. Those bound were loosed. In the flame and wind of upper-room fury the Spirit was given to vouchsafe mercy's purpose. Thankfulness testifies to truthfulness.
Thanking God for grace to the undeserving,
'Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.'
- Hebrews 12:28-29
'From the plan of salvation I learn that the true driving force in authentic Christian living is, and ever must be, not the hope of gain, but the heart of gratitude.'
- J.I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness, p. 75
'In short, then, the grace of God in the Cross of Christ leads to thanksgiving in his people, which in turn naturally leads to obedience.'
-Dane Ortlund, A New Inner Relish, p. 25
Almighty God, Father of all Mercies,
we, thine unworthy servants,
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men.
- The Book of Common Prayer
Thankfulness testifies to the truthfulness of the Christian life. I'm not naturally thankful, but simply put - gratitude and new life go hand in hand. In Christ my greatest need has been met and to be ungrateful would be to malign the God Who has shown me mercy. Unmitigated grace is the impetus for unexcelled gratitude. The Christian is assured that his sins have been forgiven. Think of this…enmity no longer exists between the Christian and His Creator/Redeemer. In a body of flesh God has redeemed men and women for Himself. Upon a Cross of otherworldly suffering the God-man happily took the place of His people. An exchange. An unfair trade. Here, life met death, and for a moment it seemed that death would prevail. Then, on a resurrection morning the God-man rose and broke open the sealed pardon. Captivity itself became captive. Those bound were loosed. In the flame and wind of upper-room fury the Spirit was given to vouchsafe mercy's purpose. Thankfulness testifies to truthfulness.
Thanking God for grace to the undeserving,
DJM
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