Perhaps the attitude of gratitude doesn’t have much of a place nowadays. It seems to have been submerged by the ‘blame game’, and people exerting their ‘rights’ in as many situations as possible. If we’re not careful, we can begin to look on God as someone who is there only to receive our complaints and suggestions.
The writer of Psalm 103 has a lot to teach us about gratitude. It sets the standard, because it concentrates solely on the goodness and mercy of God with no grumbles or requests.
It begins by putting God first, in his rightful place: ‘Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name… May I never forget the good things he does for me’ (Psalm 103:1, 2 New Living Translation). The trouble is, we do forget - easily! Memory can be very selective. We have no difficulty in remembering the tough times, the hurts, calamities and disappointments, but conveniently forget God’s everyday generosity.
The psalmist lists a whole catalogue of spiritual blessings that he receives from God: forgiveness of sins, healing, redeeming power, tender mercies, unfailing love and compassion. The Lord, he says, does not treat us as we deserve, but like a compassionate father who remembers that we are like dust (see 103:3-5; 10-18).
True praise is a spontaneous response from our heart as we recognise God’s great mercy, love and guidance in our lives. It lifts us above the pettiness and narrow-mindedness of everyday life, which can limit our vision of what is good and right and drag us down. As the old hymn says: ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.’
In contrast to much of the world, those who live in the rich West are well blessed in material terms. Isn’t that worth more than a grudging ‘thanks’ every now and again on special occasions?
So where do we start? With thanks for just being alive on a sunny day, the beauty of the world around us, our homes, our families and friends… the list is endless!
UK & Ireland War Cry May 2013
Photo credit: War Cry pictures
