How often when you’ve given a gift does the person say,‘You shouldn’t have?’ But have you ever watched children when they receive a gift? They never say that! They don’t worry about whether they deserve the gift. They just can’t wait to rip open the paper and find out what’s inside. I watched my grandchildren doing just this on the weekend. Like children, we need to be willing to receive what God wants to give us.
Yesterday we looked at what God wants us to pray for. But we need to be ready to receive God’s gifts when they come. Ephesians 3:19 reminds is that God wants us ‘to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.’ The next verse reminds us He is able to do, ‘exceedingly abundantly beyond all we ask or think,’ Ephesians 3:20.
Children are often more ready and willing to receive God’s great gifts. They’re often more ready to thank God too for a rainbow or seeing a pelican or for a new friend or that their grandparents could visit or for answered prayer. Yes, I’ve heard all of those.
Adults on the other hand often receive the answer to their prayers and yet fail to praise and thank God for it. They fail to see each day all that God has provided. That’s why it is good to have a prayer journal which records our prayers, and then how God answered them. Keeping a prayer journal or gratitude journal reminds of all that God gives us.
David was a great one for taking his requests to God. He was also one for praising God when the answers came, Psalm 18: 1-3, 16-19, 28-36, 43, Psalm 21:22:25 are a few examples. This attitude of praise and rejoicing was also followed by others who wrote the psalms, Psalm 149:3-5. The ides they want to convey is often if you’re happy then let God know.
Remember the old children’s song ‘If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands, etc?’ Sounds to me like good advice to follow. Why not make a resolution to accept God’s gifts more readily and praise Him with a grateful heart?
Bible verses from the New American Standard versionPlease visit these related blogs
What Does God Want us to Pray About?