Two-minute read.
Yada, the original Hebrew word for praise, means to speak of the excellence of someone or something; to give thanks has a focus on the gratitude of the speaker, make a public confession, make an admission.[1] Telling people about God’s works in your life, and giving the Creator credit, praises Him. We serve an excellent Savior who lived a sinless life, suffered on the cross for us, and rose again, defeating death, and leading us to eternal glory with Him. We can live a life forever thankful for what Jesus did for us.
As we end this 42-day gratitude challenge, let’s embrace a lifestyle of forever thankfulness. As we face the days ahead, let’s do so with excited anticipation of what the Lord will do in our lives. Let’s believe we receive from God every day and readily praise Him for it. Belief opens the door to possibility. What we find impossible, the Lord makes it possible when we align our hearts with His and allow Him to direct our steps.
We think we know what’s best for our lives, but we don’t. Left to our own devices, we can get ourselves into all kinds of trouble. Over vacation, I indulged in ice cream and sweet treats almost every day, sure it wouldn’t affect my weight. However, when I arrived home and got on the scale, I’d gained five pounds. Having just come off a 40-day fast, my body preferred fasting to feasting. When I fasted, I did so for the Lord; when I feasted, I did so for myself. God’s way always works best. The Almighty has a plan for our lives, which, if we let Him, will lead us on a grand adventure to glory. But if we don’t allow the Lord to lead, following obediently, we’ll never experience the blessings God can’t wait to give us.
By living a life of gratitude, we’ll look for the good in every situation, and we’ll discover the Lord in it. When we keep the Son in our eyes, giving God the credit He deserves, we will praise Him continually and live a life forever thankful.
Don’t wait another moment, set your sights on Jesus, and praise Him for the new life He gave you on the cross. Lay your burdens at His feet, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus. When you put on His yoke, yours becomes lighter, and you will find everything you need to persevere in your purpose.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! In Him, we have everything we need to live this life abundantly on our voyage to heaven.
Journal Questions:
In what areas do you struggle with having gratitude?
What’s one thing you can start today that helps you live forever, thankfully?
List things you can thank God for every day.
Application:
Use gratitude as a point of eternal worship.
[1] NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary Copyright © 2015 by Zondervan
