Are You Thankful

Are You Thankful "Then God said, "I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it." Genesis 1:29 To some people it may seem that there is little to be thankful for, in today's world. The threat of war continues to hang over mankind like a deadly pall, as science continues to produce more and more weapons of mass destruction. The cost of living continues to increase, and so many people have little to eat, raggedy clothes to wear and many are homeless. The world presents a bleak picture to the person who wants to live in happiness, peace and security. He may well look at the world with its bad fruits and ask, Why give thanks for this? But there are other things for which a person can be deeply thankful. An eternal life, for example, is so valuable, that no price can be put on it, yet it was a free gift from God. Do you callously take it for granted as if he owed it to you? Should not thanks be given to him for it, not just one day a year, but daily? Do you take for granted the food you eat, thinking that thanks is due to no one because you earned the money that bought it? If you take that view you forget that its existence was made possible by the Creator, not by your money. He gave to man as a free gift the grain that supplies you with bread, cereals and other food products. He also created the vegetables and fruits that man uses for nourishment. He designed them all to reproduce their kind, that man might always have a supply of food. I would encourage you to not just take your food for granted, but give God thanks for it, as this is an expression not only of your appreciation but also of your recognition of him as the actual Giver. It may be a small thing to give thanks before a meal, but it is the proper thing to do. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 25 Robert William Brock, Jr.