I love this season. The fall colours amaze me, the heat is bearable, and there are no more flies or ticks. And I love Thanksgiving.
Ephesians 1 tells us that God has blessed us, as in, has already blessed us. People love to ask God to bless them, or bless someone else, but that kind of prayer is just not found after Jesus took His cross. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with asking God to bless you or someone else, but the New Testament writers saw in Jesus the greatest blessing ever, and we already have Him.
The proper response for us is to give thanks to God for all He has done. Whether you like the old hymn “Count Your Blessings” by Johnson Oatman Jr., or the modern hymn “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redman, it is a good thing to remember how many good things we have been blessed with. Health, finances, a roof over our heads, some food in our bellies and company of family and friends are good things to be thankful for.
But a subtle use of words can transform thankfulness into guilt. That word is “should.” As in, you really should be grateful. You really should give God some thanks for all you have.
From there, it’s not a great leap to, “After all that Jesus has done for you, what should you do for Him?” All of a sudden, a free gift becomes something to earn, or something to pay back. That makes salvation a loan, and not a free gift.
Rather than being thankful for what we have been given, the “should” makes us feel guilty for not deserving it. The “should” transforms simple gratefulness into a spiritual duty, a chore, a task to be carried out, instead of a life to be lived out.
I understand the meaning of the word “should”. There are things that are appropriate, and things that are inappropriate. However, the minute you place a “should” on someone, motives change, and then even good things are done for the wrong reasons. That person might do what you think they should do, but then it’s about pleasing you, not God. It’s about obligation, not appreciation.
So give thanks with a grateful heart. Not because you should, not because you “owe” God, and not because I’m telling you to. Give thanks because God loves you, and went to some great extremes to win your heart. God showed that He would rather die than live without you. That’s something to be thankful for!
Ephesians 1 tells us that God has blessed us, as in, has already blessed us. People love to ask God to bless them, or bless someone else, but that kind of prayer is just not found after Jesus took His cross. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with asking God to bless you or someone else, but the New Testament writers saw in Jesus the greatest blessing ever, and we already have Him.
The proper response for us is to give thanks to God for all He has done. Whether you like the old hymn “Count Your Blessings” by Johnson Oatman Jr., or the modern hymn “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redman, it is a good thing to remember how many good things we have been blessed with. Health, finances, a roof over our heads, some food in our bellies and company of family and friends are good things to be thankful for.
But a subtle use of words can transform thankfulness into guilt. That word is “should.” As in, you really should be grateful. You really should give God some thanks for all you have.
From there, it’s not a great leap to, “After all that Jesus has done for you, what should you do for Him?” All of a sudden, a free gift becomes something to earn, or something to pay back. That makes salvation a loan, and not a free gift.
Rather than being thankful for what we have been given, the “should” makes us feel guilty for not deserving it. The “should” transforms simple gratefulness into a spiritual duty, a chore, a task to be carried out, instead of a life to be lived out.
I understand the meaning of the word “should”. There are things that are appropriate, and things that are inappropriate. However, the minute you place a “should” on someone, motives change, and then even good things are done for the wrong reasons. That person might do what you think they should do, but then it’s about pleasing you, not God. It’s about obligation, not appreciation.
So give thanks with a grateful heart. Not because you should, not because you “owe” God, and not because I’m telling you to. Give thanks because God loves you, and went to some great extremes to win your heart. God showed that He would rather die than live without you. That’s something to be thankful for!