Word of Encouragement (3/3/2021)

Today, let’s talk about what we should do when God says, “Yes!” to our prayers. I hope you don’t say, “What’s there to do?” You may say that because the answers are so obvious. But it is good to remind ourselves of the obvious from time to time.

The first is to give thanks to God instead of taking it for granted. Some things are so obviously and unmistakably works of God that words (and even tears) of gratitude spontaneously flow out of our hearts. But for God’s answers to our prayers, which are smaller in scale and significance, we easily forget to thank God. We are even tempted to wonder whether they were just coincidences and God had little to do with them. It is easy to be ungrateful when we are the recipients of someone else’s favor. But few things are more infuriating than ingratitude when we are the benefactors, who had to make some sacrifices to show kindness. On the contrary, when our kindness is met with sincere gratitude, we feel our hearts opening up even wider with greater generosity. Could God’s reaction be any different? When a woman expressed her gratitude to Jesus by anointing Him with the costly perfume in an alabaster vial, Jesus said, “And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her” (Mark 14:9).

Giving thanks to God for the goodness He shows us is not optional. The Lord repeatedly commanded His people to “remember” what He had done for them in history (Deut. 24:18, etc.). He instituted various national feasts for Israel to commemorate the great and mighty acts of God on behalf of Israel. He commanded Israel to set up various monuments as signs to memorialize His wonderful deeds (Josh. 4:3ff, etc.). In fact, the whole basis of the Ten Commandments (and all other commandments, which were their various applications) was remembering God’s redemption: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex. 20:2). This principle not only remains in the new covenant; it is heightened even more because of the surpassing magnitude of grace God has shown us in the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. So, we are commanded to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18). We are to live our lives in service of God out of gratitude for the mercies God has shown us (Rom. 12:1).

So, when God answers our prayers, we should bless the Lord and forget not all His benefits (Ps. 103:2). It should be more than just a passing feeling of gratitude. We should verbalize it with a prayer of thanksgiving. I also recommend that you somehow memorialize it. Our family used to have a jar, into which we put notes of answered prayers. (We should start doing that again!) Another way to memorialize your gratitude is to give a thank offering. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). If we are truly thankful, it is only natural to express our gratitude with our treasure. But all this should be part of living our lives in thankful obedience to God, who has remembered His covenant with His people and provided a wonderful Savior in His Son and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:3).

‍