"Surely the
righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your
presence." (Psalm 140:13 NKJ)
Righteous thanks! It
is a certainty. Those whose lives and character are ordered by the Lord shall
thankfully praise his name. They dwell in his presence and his presence dwells
in them. He is the center of their lives and their lives are centered in him.
Thanksgiving and
gratitude . . . one and the same? In one sense perhaps, but they are
individually distinct. On the one hand, thanksgiving is active, personalized
worship. On the other hand, gratitude is a spirit and attitude. It is the daily
manner in which one orders his/her life.
We give thanks.
"Thank you for your service" and so forth. We live gratitude. It is
shown in our rejoicing and the issues in which we exult. It can be arrogant and
conceited. It can also be modest and humble.
Biblical gratitude
is an attitude of gladness and joy that permeates one's life. It doesn't only
occur because of an annual holiday or family tradition. Instead, gratitude is
lived daily throughout the year. Despite the daily grind . . . gratitude. Despite
the heartaches . . . gratitude.
When I'm up and when
I'm down . . . gratitude. Joy in the morning, joy at noon. Joy in the evening,
dwelling with my God Triune. Living in his presence is better than life. It is
in his presence that our hearts are made glad. It is he who wipes away all tears
and comforts the soul. In his presence, I desire to dwell.
Dear Father, thank
you for your multiplied, overflowing blessings. Empower me with a daily
attitude of gratitude. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Dwell in gratitude
today,
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