A beautiful part of life is the opportunity and the ability to express thanks. The spirit of gratitude is one of our most commendable qualities. It adds a dimension of respect and beauty to our personalities. More than anything else a greateful spirit makes us likable creatures. A gracious attitude keeps us from acting like spoiled children who feel the world revolves around them. Gratitude is at the heart of who we are, and without it we lose something that is essential to our spiritual development. It is a godly disposition which creates a thankful heart and a helping hand. As we mature in our appreciation of God's blessings we become more benevolent in our actions and attitudes toward others.

Woven into the fibers of our worship is the opportunity to give thanks. We can lift our prayers to heaven from grateful lips. We can sing our hymns of praise with jubilant voices. We can bring our tithes and offerings as a sacrifice of appreciation. We can have fellowship with one another in the spirit of gratitude. Like the Psalmist expressed it, we can "enter into His presence with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise." What a difference it makes in our worship when we do.

God has created us with the ability to be grateful. We either cultivate this gift or we lose it in selfishness and pride. A cruel and uncouth spirit springs from ingratitude. Self-pity and worry are products of a thankless attitude. Because we exist in a state of utter dependency it is important to be sensitive to the contributions others make to our well-being. Such an awareness is called "gratitude." It produces a kind of personal appreciation that melts our cold hearts and warms our generosity.

From this perspective we begin to approach life, not so much in terms of what we can get, but in terms of what we can give. It is at this point that we can truly thank God for the unspeakable gift of His Son and magnificent gift of people with whom we share this pilgrimage of life. Have a thankful Thanksgiving in the attitude of gratitude.