By Rev. Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church KAG
Main scripture: Luke 19:11-1Definitions:
Cambridge dictionary:
The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Wikipedia:
Gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness, from the Latin word gratus ‘pleasing, thankful’, is a feeling of appreciation felt by and/or similar positive response shown by the recipient of kindness, gifts, help, favours, or other types of generosity, towards the giver of such gifts.
- Gratitude is an attitude of humility
The man went down and knelt down and worshipped God. He did not come back and stood there and said thank you. He actually offered a worship of gratitude.
He did not just feel good and nice inside but actually went back and knelt as an act of humility. Actually not being grateful is a sign of pride, being or spoiled or arrogant.
- Gratitude recognizes privileges are not rights
When God does or bless you and you go on with life, as usual, it means you are thankless and not grateful. Actually it is a spirit of entitlement, As in ni haki yako. Taking time to say thank you is acknowledging that the person has loved you and privileged you. Privileges are given unlike rights are demanded. it is within the powers of that person to give you or not and that is worth recognizing it is a privilege.
- Gratitude honours God
Gratitude recognizes the person who has shown you kindness. it says you means a lot to me and you have a special place of honour. It recognizes
it says what you have done to me means a lot and it is special. giving thanks means I honour you. That's why the man knelt and worship, it was simply an act of honour
1 Thessalonians 5:18
[18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
We should honour him in every situation. Ungrateful people are usually complainers and only see what they don’t have rather than what they have already received thus they don’t get more.
Thankfulness requires action
- A thankful heart takes time out of our busy schedule and as a matter of priority to honour and worship God.
- Worship is more than just lip-service, It’s honouring Him with our lives, and seeking him. A thankful heart realizes the blessings and favour of God and desires to bless Him for what He has done.
- A thankful heart cannot be selfish but wants to give back. It cannot just be quiet and passive. When the cleansed leper dropped at the feet of Jesus and worshipped him, he did so with a humble heart.
- When Jesus asked where the other nine were, he already knew the answer. What he was doing was showing those around him that it did not escape his notice that only one came back.
- Think of how you feel when someone gives you a genuine thank you.
- Think of how you feel when someone honours you publicly. It warms your heart. It makes you feel valued and appreciated. We are made in the image of our Creator, so how is He any different?
- Gratitude moves the heart of God
a) The man was not just healed but made whole.
b) The rest received a restoration of the sick area of their life. But the Samaritan was restored in every area of his life after giving thanks. God moved in his life in a special way. It created a room for God to move in him and do much more.
c) When you are grateful, you open a room for God to bless you even more. You receive even more than what you were thanking God for. That's why it is important every morning even if you have no other reason to thank God, do it and God blesses your day.
d) If we want God to start moving in our lives, we need to be thankful and practice it. We can worship God in our thankfulness happens by being kind and going the extra mile as well as by taking time every day to pray and reflect on His goodness. We show our thankfulness by running to Him only to fall at His feet in honour and humility.
Psalm 107:21-22
[21]Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
[22]Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
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