A Grateful Heart

July 19, 2013 by blmaluso 12 Comments

Sometimes ideas just pop in my head.  You can ask my husband, my gears are always turning, and he usually hears most of those thoughts.  Probably not the best thing for him…he does his best, but I have to admit, sometimes I see his eyes glaze over and I know it’s time to “zip it”.  Enough said.

This morning, I was taking a short walk before starting work, and I tried to just clear my mind and listen to the birds and crickets.  I feel closest to God when I am outside, surrounded by His beautiful creations.  Even if there is one little patch of grass, a few flowers, or one bird singing, it is awesome to me.

I felt really peaceful, and then the thoughts flowed.

In the past, I often wondered why it is so important for us to worship God, pray to Him, ask forgiveness, and thank Him for our lives and all the blessings.  I reasoned, if He is our Sovereign God, and is Perfect Love, why does He need us to worship Him or pray?  Is it because He needs His ego stroked?  Or maybe because He wants us to constantly bow down to Him to keep us “in our place”?  I never really understood that.

Here is what was revealed to me.  As all of you have done, on many occasions I have given a gift of time, money or a particular present I chose for someone.  I don’t “give to get”, my gifts are given with love and no strings attached.  I don’t “need” a thank you or acknowledgement to make me feel good about myself.

However, I am always aware of the gratitude or lack of it that the recipient shows.  Why?  Because I can usually get a feel of where their priorities and spiritual life are.  If the gift is never acknowledged, and thanks are never given, there is definitely room for growth in that area.  I have been guilty of the same thing; I am not judging people’s hearts, only God can do that.  I am only stating the obvious…that if a person does not respond with a spirit of gratitude and love in response to a gift that was freely bestowed on them, gratitude is not on their priority list.  That is my cue to pray for them.  Only when a person has a grateful heart, will they experience love in its fullness.  That is what the Lord wants for us!

Another way to see where someone’s priorities are, is if they are even willing to give the gift of time or a material gift to another person…or maybe they just grab anything they see, without thought, to fulfill an obligation?  Do they put real time and thought into it…to bring joy to someone’s life?  A thoughtful gift is so much more meaningful than an expensive one.

Little things are very telling.

So, does the Lord NEED us to worship Him, spend time with Him, thank Him, or give Him the gift of our love and appreciation, so that He can be happy?  No, He is an Almighty, Sovereign God.  He is Perfect Love.  He doesn’t need us to be anything…He DESIRES to share His Love with us!!!   He desires for us to share in His glory! He knows that we will be happy and joyful when we have a heart filled with love and gratitude.

The Lord knows where we are in our spiritual walk by our actions, priorities, and our heart’s alignment.  When we take the time to pray, spend time with Him, worship Him, and thank him for all the blessings He bestows on us and the whole world, He knows we are on our journey toward an eternity with Him.

Praise you, Jesus, for your sacrifice, so that we may have eternal life with Our Father in Heaven.  Thank you for shining the light of the Holy Spirit in our souls, so that we may journey toward Perfect Love.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  Psalm 107:1

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  Matthew 6:21

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  James 1:17