Corona Devo 1277



There is a sign in the office at our campground that shares a quote by Max Lucado: "What if you woke up this morning and had only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"  

It's a sobering question, isn't it?  

Not only do we rarely thank God for the many, the miniscule, and the mundane things that He blesses us with each day, but we also get gratitude mixed-up with the attitude that His blessing depends on us.  

We serve, we tithe, we give, or we try...and we contort our efforts into a "gift" that we are giving God.  But much of the time it's a forced-effort with a have-to heart.  

And God has no complaint about our sacrifices that we offer, if we are able to spiritually present them to Him with the right heart.  But, His "beef" comes in response to our misconstrued boast that He (the Lord of the universe) "needs" what we're offering.

He doesn't.

“O my people, listen as I speak.  Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God!  (8) I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.  (9) But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens.  (10) For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.  (11) I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine.  (12) If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it...  ~Psalm 50:7-12

God has everything and all that He needs.  But what He desires from us is gratitude and a grateful heart for all that He has provided for us.

Sometimes we have that gratitude.  But many (many) times...we don't.  We have entitlement or we have a laundry list of activities that we think (believe) we need to "perform" to mediate for whatever God's latest gift to us has been.

But those (emotional, physical, financial, even spiritual) sacrifices are not what God is seeking from us.  It is far simpler.  

Just be grateful.  Thank Him for what we have today.  That's the sacrifice that is most special to our Father in Heaven.

"Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High."  ~Psalm 50:14

It's that simple.  It's that inactive, it's that free, it's that timely, it's that user-friendly and it's that accessible to each of us.  The only sacrifice God wants from us is our thankfulness to Him.

And if we will...

If we will make thankfulness our sacrifice to God, and keep the vows we made to the Most High... God will guard us.  He will rescue us.. He will give us glory. 

"Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”  ~Psalm 50:14

Let's take those odds.  Let's enter into that If-Then faith statement spoken by our Father.  Let's take God at His Word: that if we will make thankfulness our sacrifice to Him, He will rescue us when we are in trouble.

And because God is holy, and all-seeing, and because He knows that we have a choice to serve Him and be grateful to Him...because of this, God also is very clear on the consequences if we do not follow His directions/take-His-odds/or complete our half of the If-Then Statement that He died to provide the Solution to.

If we won't...

But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant?  (17) For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash.  

(18) When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers.  (19) Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies.  (20) You sit around and slander your brother—your own mother’s son.  

(21) While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care.  But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you.  

(22) Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you.  

(23) But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.  If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”  ~Psalm 50:16-23

~~~

His blessing does not depend on us, but our intimacy in relationship with Him does depend on our gratitude to him.

Let's make thankfulness our sacrifice today.  It will cost us something (pride, humility, honesty), but it won't drain our bank account or energy...and the return on investment is priceless. 

Lord, order our steps and our thoughts into a path of thankfulness leading right to You today.  Help us to worry less about sacrificing time, gifts and plans to You, and instead make thankfulness our sacrifice to You today, Father.  We are so grateful for You, God.  Amen. (Psalm 50:14)

Just be grateful.  Thank Him for what we have today.  That's the sacrifice that is most special to our Father in Heaven.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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