"Give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind"
(Psalm 107:8)
I can remember a story that my grandpa told me when I was a kid about something he said to his daddy when he was a kid. He was about 8-years-old and his dad had invited guests over for dinner. They had finished up dinner and mom asked my grandpa if he wanted to help her cut up the pie and then bring it out for their guests. He said, "Sure" and then proceeded to cut up the pie so that each piece was perfectly distributed. He wanted to be perfectly fair.
So, he brought the first piece out to his dad. Daddy gave it to the guest next to him. He brought out the second piece and daddy gave that one to the next guest. He brought out the third piece and as daddy reached to hand that one to the next guest, he couldn't help but say, "It's no use daddy. You're not going to get a bigger piece. I cut them all the same."
It's human nature to expect that we should get the biggest slice of pie, isn't it? Who cares about anyone else, we deserve the biggest slice. Now, that may sound harsh, but sadly, because of my sinful nature, and yours, which we inherited from our sinful parents, that's hard wired into us. If there's anything that leads us to complain more and be thankful less, I can't imagine what it might be. The single greatest thankfulness killer is entitlement: the attitude that everyone owes me something, including God.
Here's the harsh reality. Actually, we don't deserve anything good. Actually, we only deserve bad from God because of the bad we've thought, said and done. However, God doesn't treat us as our sins deserve. That's mercy. Moreover, God gives us the good things we don't deserve. That's called grace. Why? The Psalm writer says it well, "Give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind" (Psalm 107:8).
I have my faith, my forgiveness, my family, my friends, my food, my job, my house, my car and my future because of His unfailing LOVE! I don't deserve it, but I have it, because He loves me. And because He loves me, He gave me Jesus. "God so loved the world that He GAVE His one and only Son" (John 3:16). And because Jesus gave His life on the cross and took it back again when He rose from the dead, I have life, life to the full and life eternal. Can you imagine anything better for which to give thanks than that? So as you enjoy Thanksgiving one week from today, don't forget to thank the One who truly has given you everything! He loves you! That's something for which to be thankful!
If you want to hear more of this message, then join me for our Thanksgiving Worship on Wednesday, November 26, at 6:30pm or Thursday, November 27, at 9:00am here at our De Pere campus (2066 Lawrence Drive, De Pere).
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Chris
So, he brought the first piece out to his dad. Daddy gave it to the guest next to him. He brought out the second piece and daddy gave that one to the next guest. He brought out the third piece and as daddy reached to hand that one to the next guest, he couldn't help but say, "It's no use daddy. You're not going to get a bigger piece. I cut them all the same."
It's human nature to expect that we should get the biggest slice of pie, isn't it? Who cares about anyone else, we deserve the biggest slice. Now, that may sound harsh, but sadly, because of my sinful nature, and yours, which we inherited from our sinful parents, that's hard wired into us. If there's anything that leads us to complain more and be thankful less, I can't imagine what it might be. The single greatest thankfulness killer is entitlement: the attitude that everyone owes me something, including God.
Here's the harsh reality. Actually, we don't deserve anything good. Actually, we only deserve bad from God because of the bad we've thought, said and done. However, God doesn't treat us as our sins deserve. That's mercy. Moreover, God gives us the good things we don't deserve. That's called grace. Why? The Psalm writer says it well, "Give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind" (Psalm 107:8).
I have my faith, my forgiveness, my family, my friends, my food, my job, my house, my car and my future because of His unfailing LOVE! I don't deserve it, but I have it, because He loves me. And because He loves me, He gave me Jesus. "God so loved the world that He GAVE His one and only Son" (John 3:16). And because Jesus gave His life on the cross and took it back again when He rose from the dead, I have life, life to the full and life eternal. Can you imagine anything better for which to give thanks than that? So as you enjoy Thanksgiving one week from today, don't forget to thank the One who truly has given you everything! He loves you! That's something for which to be thankful!
If you want to hear more of this message, then join me for our Thanksgiving Worship on Wednesday, November 26, at 6:30pm or Thursday, November 27, at 9:00am here at our De Pere campus (2066 Lawrence Drive, De Pere).
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Chris
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