A Special Type of Gratitude

20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Eph 5:20

This was the verse the Holy Spirit stopped me on this morning, so I began to thank Him for all He has provided:

• the ability to work
• my children
• the clicking of Sally's nails on the tile as she follows me around the house
• a Sophie ball
• pain that shows me boundaries
• healing that frees me to follow

This felt surprisingly empty.  

Then the Spirit stopped me and made me reread the verse.  Give thanks to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This means thanking Him for what Jesus is thankful for not just for what I'm thankful for.  When I asked what Jesus was thankful for, the answers stirred my sleeping heart:

• Friendship with God
• the closeness provided by Your Spirit
• growing peace
• images to understand how You make all things new
• eyes to see both Your work and how you work with us to create beauty
• rescues through intercession

I could feel the gratitude of the Son welling up in me toward the Father and the Spirit for all they do.  I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit breathing new life into my praise.  What a grace!

Now you try!