Gratitude crowds out grumbling.
Bernard of Clairvaux in his writings speaks of the “perfume compounded of the remembered benefits of God.” Dr. Tozer reminds us that ten lepers (Luke 17:17) were healed – that was the benefit. One came back to thank his Benefactor – that was the perfume.
Bless the Lord (Psalms 103:2) and FORGET NOT all his benefits. Can we not pour again the fragrant ointment of grateful memories (Mark 14:3) on the sacred head that was once weighed down with pain, shame and sorrow to pay for our sin? And again (John 12:3) can we not pour the perfume of genuine thanksgiving on the feet that were nailed to the cross and still bear the nail prints?
Do we take seriously (Ephesians 5:20) giving thanks always for all things unto God? Are we constantly thankful for our amazing privilege (Philippians 4:6) that we can pray about everything and worry about nothing? I think that our genuine gratitude in the deliberate remembering of God’s constant, lavish gifts of grace ascends to Him like the fragrance of holy perfume. As the beloved children of our loving heavenly Father, we should be redolent with this aroma.
What kind of foul stench would a heartless person emit, one who takes every good thing for granted and considers it all only his right? Such people do not glorify God (Romans 1:21) neither are thankful. Christians have no rights and no deserving, yet we are super-rich in benefits, blessings and privileges. When we make our requests (Philippians 4:6) known to God, are we so taken up with asking that we fail to remember to thank Him for all that He has already given and for all that He is?
For us there are personal enrichments in true gratitude. Gratitude crowds out grumbling. It is impossible to be grateful and grumble at the same time. If we are grateful for the much we have, we won’t grumble about the little non-essentials we don’t have. If we begin to tally up our blessings we’ll be overwhelmed and so filled with thankfulness that there will be no room left for complaints. Gratitude causes us to stop and consider what we deserve in comparison to what we continually receive from the Lord. Gratitude causes us to realize our total dependency upon God.
Gratitude magnifies God in our deepening understanding as we are filled with awe before the wondrous wonder of our wonderful God.
Gratitude makes us heart-hungry and seeking for deepening intimacy and growing oneness (John 17:11) with God the Father and God the Son. Gratitude gives us a heart of compassion (1 John 3:17-18) and a desire to share with others who are in spiritual and material need. Gratitude works within us a burning heart of love and adoration for Jesus and He alone is our heart’s desire. These are just a few of the riches bestowed on us by gratitude and I’m sure you can think of many more.
Do we remember to visit and re-visit Gethsemane and Calvary and worship the Lamb of God? We look at this MAN and we know that He is GOD and our minds stagger. But do we find there greater deeps in our trembling, gratitude-filled hearts? We can never experience the fellowship of His suffering (Philippians 3:10) until we know Him in the power of His Resurrection.
Oswald Chambers – “God sometimes engineers disagreeable circumstances so that we can manifest the Life of the Son of God in our mortal flesh.”
How could we ever come to an end of thanking God for His Gift, precious beyond telling, His unspeakable, indescribable, priceless Gift? May the outliving of the indwelling Jesus fill our lives with the fragrance of His surpassing sweetness which will ascend also in a pleasing aroma to God.