Thankfulness

The last few years have been tough, but I am reminded of God's kindness to me all the time. I often say to my friends and acquaintances that Jesus is the kindest person I have ever met. I want these testimonies of my life or better worded "stones of remembrance" as times when I saw the remarkable things the Lord has done for me.  A testimony is just that... it is your personal history with God.  When you can relate His faithfulness to people, it is an invitation for Jesus to do it again in a new way or whatever way He chooses. That is the power of testimony!  Interestingly there is a fascinating verse in Revelation 19:10 "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."  I have exercised the gift of prophecy often with people. In simple terms, its a revelation of what God thinks about the person and is usually for edifying the person and building the church.  This verse is interesting because what Jesus has done... all His acts throughout history and in the affairs of men now has become the spirit of prophecy. This literally means a prophetic declaration is an invitation for Him to do it again! And that is really exciting if you think of it.  I don't know all the relationship between thankfulness and testimonies, but I know there is some and I would say a heart of thankfulness piles up and collects testimonies which you can always share and who knows you would be able to give the word as a prophetic declaration or bring healing to a person's life.

I want the posture of my heart to be always thankful. I have observed over the past two years recording carefully in my thankfulness journals that it keeps my heart in the place of not only being grateful for what has been given to me but also as mile markers that I can always fall back to in trying situations.

As the Psalmist recounts, I have discovered thankfulness and praise is how we enter into His courts. It is a sweet offering to the Lord. Thankfulness is our response to the works of God; Praises to Him are our response to the nature of God and when we worship Him it is our response to His presence (manifest or hidden). Thankfulness and Praise are often referred as a sacrifice that we bring to Him. However, worship in scripture is never considered or referred to as a sacrifice. In worship, we become or are to become the offering where He can do whatever He wants with us.

Psalm 84 personally has been a dear companion to me in the last year. His presence I have desired in the seasons of my wilderness. I have chosen to enter into His courts with thanksgiving. In His presence, I am left with a longing for even more. The first three verses sum it all up for me in the physical:

6 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God..”

Shalom and Blessings,

Dr. Sam Kurien