Jesus our lord and savior

Jesus our lord and savior

Sunday, September 2, 2012

The Debt of Gratitude



By Paul Chappell


"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15

In 2006, the United States government received a payment of $83,250,000 from the British government. It was the final installment to pay off the loan for the military equipment and supplies furnished by America to our allies through the Lend Lease program to help them in the war against the Germans. England’s Treasury Secretary expressed his appreciation for the help so many years before and said, “It was vital support which helped Britain defeat Nazi Germany and secure peace and prosperity in the post-war period. We honor our commitments to them now as they honored their commitments to us all those years ago.”

The Apostle Paul said he was “bound to give thanks”—that he owed an obligation to be grateful—and this is true of us as well. God has done so many wonderful things for us, and none of them are deserved. Gratitude guards our hearts against pride and selfishness, for if we remember that the good things we enjoy are blessings from God rather than something we are owed, we will remain humble before Him.

It is also important for us to express our gratitude to those who have made investments in our lives. There is an old saying that applies here: “If you see a turtle sitting on a fence post, it’s pretty safe to assume he didn’t get there by himself.” Recognizing that others have helped us get to where we are, it is only right to thank them.

Today's Rooted Principle:
Express your gratitude today, both to God and to those who have helped you in your life.

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