Relational Gratitude

My three-and-a-bit year old son has the responsibility of selecting who will lead the prayer for our family meal together each night. More often than not, he selects himself and if he doesn’t attempt to lead us in the ‘Superman Grace’ song (which I regrettably taught him), he will list off the things he has enjoyed the most that day, including; painting, watching The Wiggles on TV, wrestling… finally ending with “thanks for the food for us.”

Sometimes he remembers to make mention of Jesus or God somewhere in the prayer, but occasionally when he hasn’t, Anna or I will ask, “Elijah, who are we thankful to…?” 

“JESUS!” is the reply, often at a ferocious volume.

Many years ago, a good friend of mine who follows Jesus, shared his disregard for the act of ‘grace’ or praying before a meal together. He suggested that it has become a mindless and almost superstitious ritual compared to earnest prayer. It reminds me of that common discussion point that has pervaded social media in Christian circles - “it’s not a religion, it’s a relationship!”

As a pastor and as a follower of Jesus, I’ve found that most people would agree that one of the central pillars of being Christ-like would include having a relationship with Christ. But like any important relationship I have, I know it is strengthened by regular habits and points of contact.

One of the most common attributes all healthy relationships have is gratitude. Your relationship with Jesus will only improve when you regularly show Him gratitude. It’s this lesson that I hope to pass on to my sons, and to you today. 

A healthy series of questions to consider are;   

• Am I truly grateful?   
• Do I express gratitude?   
• Am I expressing it often?

The more I practice gratitude, the more I am able to recognise just how much God has blessed me and my family. My flesh may want to get recognition for cooking a delicious meal, but ultimately every good gift comes from above (James 1:7). Recognising that God is good and that He alone is my source helps me to be confident in His security. 

I can also be confident in Elijah’s future if he can continually respond to the question, “who should we be thanking?” With “JESUS!” as the answer.

Pray with me:

Lord, I put my trust in you. You are good and you are the giver of all good things. Remind me of what you’ve done for me and soften my heart where I am troubled. I give thanks that I can talk to you always and that you hear me.

Written by Jethro Blyth, Location Pastor, Citipointe Church Pine Rivers