For what are you grateful? Have you expressed your gratitude? Today I read in Psalms 107: 1-2  “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! … Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”

Author G.B. Stern said, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”  How profound! The purpose of saying thanks is to show appreciation to the giver for the gift I receive. If I neglect to thank someone for a kindness, how is my appreciation shown? As important as it is to express my gratitude in my personal relationships, how often do I express  gratitude to my Lord for all He gives me?

Another quote from my devotional passage was by William Arthur Ward: “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

I notice over the past years many young people do not send wedding gift thank you notes, graduation gift acknowledgements, or neglect to express verbal birthday or Christmas gift thank you’s. As a parent and educator, I teach children to thank people, but how faithful am I to thank my Father in heaven for His indescribable Gift – His Son? Or, for the daily provisions He supplies, and for the gifts with which He equips me? I enjoy showers, and I do thank Him for this invention, and for the autumn colors, for the blanket of snowfall He sends, but so many thank you’s I simply do not express.

We as a people seem to take things for granted and almost expect gifts without considering the sacrifice it costs the giver. Have you, like me, found yourself in that  situation at times? Do you forget to thank the Lord for His bountiful gifts daily?

At this time of Thanksgiving season, let’s all remember to express our appreciation to those who open their homes to us, for the food shared, but especially to our Creator from Whom all good blessings flow. Then let’s extend that grateful attitude over to each and every day He allows us to live another day on this earth.

Thank you for your comments in advance regarding this post! I appreciate how busy you all are, yet you take time out to discuss my posts. Thank you!