THE ABCs OF GRATITUDE
By Steve Henry
Burke County
As my wife and I were having a conversation about some cares of life that had flooded in on us in a very short period of time, we found ourselves casting those cares on our Savior because He cares for us. Then during our time in prayer, we started thanking Him for all the things we are grateful for. Becky shared with me that when she is overwhelmed with life she starts with the alphabet as her guide and thanks Him for anything that starts with each letter, hence the ABC’s of gratitude, therefore we are grateful for:
A
An Amazing Father (when I shared this with my granddaughter, she gave me this one first).
Almighty God wants to be this amazing Father to all of us. We can have a deeply intimate relationship with Him.
“All spiritual blessings,” (Ephesians 1:3) instead of all the hellish cursings that filled my life before I came to know Him. I don’t know exactly how many blessings there are in His Word for us, but I do know “all” means “all,” and as we continue to study His Word we find them there just waiting to be discovered.
All our needs are met in Him (Philippians 4:19).
B
Becky, the love of my life, I shudder to think of where I would be without her.
Barrage of Hope (my daughter gave me this one), He bombards us with His hope as we learn to turn from our way of dealing with life and simply come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30).
Body of Christ, without their help I can never be all God wants me to be.
Blessings, that’s what this list is all about.
C
Constant, He is the great Constant in my life, my constant companion, continually helping me, delivering me, and loving me.
I am a child of God!
D
Doug Henry, the man with half a brain taught me so very much about gratitude, things I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
E
Eternal life.
Emmanuel, God with us.
I am an eternal being that will live in eternity with Him forever.
Enthusiasm for life.
Energy to keep on going.
F
Friend of God. He calls us His friend (Exodus 33:11; 2nd Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; John 15:15). God Almighty calls me His friend, what a thought, Hallelujah!
Frasier Smith, what a Godly example for us all.
Faith and the faith-producing Word of God.
G
Goodness of God leads us to repentance.
Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sins.
H
Holy Spirit, my constant helper, friend, and guide, Almighty God living in me, hallelujah!
Hope, we will always have hope, and we will always have a future because both are wrapped up in Him. (Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the purposes which I am purposing for you, says Jehovah; purposes of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”)
I
Immeasurable grace and love of God.
J
Jesus, my Savior, my friend.
Joy unspeakable and full of glory.
K
All the kindness that has been extended to me, for His loving kindness that has transformed and continues to transform my life.
L
Love, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”—enough said.
M
“Made us accepted,” (Ephesians 1:6) for years I lived in all kinds of destructive behaviors just to be accepted by others, then at the very instant that I received Him as my Savior He did for me what I could not do for myself—He “made” me accepted in His beloved Son.
Made Him to be sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2nd Corinthians 5:21). What He was “made to do”, “causes me to be” (made) the righteousness of God.
Mercy, where would we be without it.
N
“No condemnation,” (Romans 8:1). Don’t try to figure this one out, just receive it, enjoy it, and let it be a springboard into a Godly life.
O
One, He wants us to be “one” with Him and the Father (John 17:21).
P
Praise Him Daily, we can all work on our Ph.D.!
Pray without ceasing, praise without ceasing, give thanks in all things.
Q
Queen Esther, may we have more of her spirit.
R
Righteousness of God, we have already looked at how through His sacrifice He made (caused us to be) the Righteousness of God.
Repentance, He both leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4) and grants (gives) us repentance (Acts 11:18).
S
Sanctification, Thank You Father for continuing to work on us to change us into Your likeness with ever increasing glory (2nd Corinthians 3:18).
T
Truth, “If we continue in His Word we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free” (John 8:31-32).
U
Understanding, “He opens our understanding that we might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45).
V
Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever.
W
With God, nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).
X
Xenocentric: oriented toward or preferring a culture other than one’s own. Father, You have oriented me toward and I prefer the culture of eternity rather than the temporary housing in which I find myself. Because of Your marvelous, matchless, grace, I am a supernatural being in this body of flesh longing to be, and looking forward to the day that I will be totally delivered from this body of death (Romans 7:24). Hallelujah, what a Savior, what a friend. PHD a thousand fold!!!!!
Exaltation, (sounds like an X), exalt His name forever.
Y
Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen (Matthew 6:13).
Z
“The zeal of the Lord” shall perform great works in our lives (2nd Kings 19:31; Isaiah 9:7 and 37:32).
This is my personal list, maybe you should start your own.
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Steve Henry has been a lifelong resident of Burke County. God blessed him with an incredible lady that he has been married to for 43 years. He has also blessed Steve with two wonderful children and two beautiful granddaughters.
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