Words of Hope – Expressing thanks

When a young child reaches to grasp a gift presented to them, it is common to hear the bystander parent offer this four word question prompting a response. Can you hear it? The melodic “What do you say?” Do you remember it being asked of you? Because of our sin-corrupted hearts, gratefulness isn’t our natural reaction. But an attitude of gratitude is a key attribute in the “abundant living” of Jesus followers (John 10:10) More than good manners, expressing appreciation and recognizing blessings every day develops our Christ-like characters. When we read the psalms of David or letters of Peter in the Bible we see that even through great hardship they could praise God for His mercies and strengthening power. Expressing thanks to God is a spiritual discipline. It takes practice but the more you recognize the grace of God in His constant provision, your love and bond will grow.