Posted on 03/25/2017 3:12:57 AM PDT by metmom
"Give us this day our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11).
God is the source of every good gift.
God has given us everything good to enjoy, including rain to make things grow, minerals to make the soil fertile, animals for food and clothing, and energy for industry and transportation. Everything we have is from Him, and we are to be thankful for it all.
Jesus said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" (Matt. 7:11). James 1:17 says, "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow." Paul added, "Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim. 4:4-5).
Sadly, unbelievers don't acknowledge God's goodness, though they benefit from it every day. They attribute His providential care to luck or fate and His gracious provisions to nature or false gods. They do not honor Him as God or give Him thanks (Rom. 1:21).
The great Puritan writer Thomas Watson wrote, "If all be a gift, see the odious ingratitude of men who sin against their giver! God feeds them, and they fight against him; he gives them bread, and they give him affronts. How unworthy is this! Should we not cry shame of him who had a friend always feeding him with money, and yet he should betray and injure him? Thus ungratefully do sinners deal with God; they not only forget his mercies, but abuse them. 'When I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery [Jer. 5:7].' Oh, how horrid is it to sin against a bountiful God!—to strike the hands that relieve us!" (The Lord's Prayer [London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1972], p. 197).
How sad to see such ingratitude, yet how thrilling to know that the infinite God cares for us and supplies our every need. Don't ever take His provisions for granted! Look to Him daily and receive His gifts with a thankful heart.
Suggestions for Prayer
Be generous with your praise for God's abundant blessings.
For Further Study
Read Genesis 1:29-31, noting the variety of foods God created for your enjoyment.
Studying God’s Word ping
So grateful for all He has given!
Gratitude and Humility... A good combination for today and every day.
Thank you for posting these excellent thoughts for the day to ponder.
Funny how we object to being treated ourselves in the very way we turn around and treat God.
I was whining at God once about a situation where I felt like the person only interacted with me when they wanted something, that I felt being used and taken for granted.
And God replied with, “And isn’t that exactly what you do with Me?”
BAM!!!!
It was, to my shame.
I can’t imagine why I would have thought that it would be OK to do it to Him, or others, when I don’t like it or find it acceptable to be done to me.
Another good topic for study. Thanks for posting.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.