Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

To say "thank you" is not very difficult. These probably were some of the first words your parents taught you to say. But often, a sincere expression of gratitude involves action. It calls for doing something besides mere talk.

A friend says "thank you" with a handshake or a hug. A baby says it with a gurgle and a coo. The boss says it with a raise. A child says it with a squeal and a shout. A flower says it with beauty.

But how do you say "thank You" to the Lord who made you, redeemed you, and gives you abundant blessings now, followed by eternal life? We give thanks regularly, and we mean it. We appreciate all of God's bountiful blessings.

Ultimately, our thanksgiving shows itself in the way we live. We give thanks with our gifts of love to the Lord and to others. We bring to God our hearts and demonstrate our love as we faithfully worship Him, follow Him and His leading in His Word, and care for others in true compassion, even as God in Christ cared for us.

Don't let your "thank You" just be words! Let it be from your heart as you give God the credit for all you are and have.

PRAYER: O Lord let my heartfelt "thank you" show forth in manifold ways as I live for You; through Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Devotions from "The Abundant Life" copyright 1998, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time e-mailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)

Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 20-21    2 Timothy 4

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