Give thanks

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“To you, O God of my ancestors, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and power, and have now revealed to me what we asked of you.” Daniel 2:23 (NRSV)

Daniel asked God to reveal Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to him. The Father answered by showing Daniel a vision of the dream. Surely Daniel was excited about this. He could have raced to the King with the news. But he did not. Instead, Daniel remained with God, giving thanks. Just as Daniel had invested time in praying to God, Daniel now invested time in praising God.

How do we feel when God answers prayers? Excited, light with relief, ready to declare the good news? Most definitely. But before we go tell what He has done, do we stop to give God the credit? As much as we have been persistent in prayer, let us match this commitment with gratitude when prayers are answered.

Giving thanks in times of answered prayer not only shows God our humble appreciation, but it is a reminder that nothing good happens without His doing. Our prayers have been answered because of God’s goodness and His involvement, not because we have done anything deserving. He alone has worked in our lives, He alone is merciful, kind and loving. Giving thanks puts everything back in the right perspective.

Answered prayer is a precious gift and it is at the very least polite to thank the Giver before we tell everyone about our blessing. Let’s stop to consider how God may feel when we take His gift for granted, not stopping to thank Him for it. In our enthusiasm and excitement let’s not neglect to give Him thanks.

by Jennifer Woodley
South-East Queensland, Australia - info@grace-lines.net