ESOCS Devotional 5 October 2023 – Gratitude in Service
MEMORY VERSE: “Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and night; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name” 1 Chronicles 29:12, 13
TEXT: 1 CHRONICLE 29:10–19 (NIV)
David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18 Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. 19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation which can be expressed towards any good done to us. What we know usually about gratitude is that it is shown by any recipient of a good or service. We hardly see a giver expressing gratitude towards the receiver. It is rare.
In relating to God, we are sometimes grateful to Him. But that gratitude is usually expressed when we receive or believe we have received from Him or expecting to receive from Him.
However, whenever we believe we have served or given, we usually expect to be recognised, acclaimed, applauded and rewarded. When these mentioned things do not come our way we become offended in a way. We always feel entitled to gratitude from others when we give to them.
Here, the ever-humble King David shows us that we can be grateful and thereby express gratitude for being able to render services to God. He did it by showing us the way, in which he made us to realise that; (i) Services require resources to carry them out. He believes that all the riches, talents and materials that we have at our disposable are for services unto the LORD God.
- We owe our services primarily to God. We are here on earth and in any position we find ourselves primarily to serve God’s purposes. It does not really matter your career or line of business or family.
- God is the owner of all things – the resources to be used in serving God and those to use them (which include us) all belong to God.
With the above pointers or lessons, and more that can be listed from the Bible text of the day, and King David’s life story, shows that we have to appreciate God for giving us the opportunity to receive resources from Him and to be able to use them to serve Him.
King David was so humble about it and also profuse in his thanks to God, and sincerely so, for letting him serve that he said – “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee” (1 Chron. 29:14). This is a humble heart and a voice of gratitude.
Therefore Beloved, gratitude in service is an ideal heart posture expected of every child of God. It destroys entitlement mentality. It destroys pride. It makes us humble enough to serve God with our resources wholeheartedly and willingly.
This is who our Lord Jesus Christ is and He wants us to be same too – that is people who are grateful to God for using them for His glory.
- What is your heart posture towards God and service to Him? That of Gratitude or entitlement?
- Father, grant me a perfect heart in my service towards you, in Jesus Name. Amen.
FURTHER READING: 2 Chronicles 13:1–end; Esther 4:4 – end
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ESOCS Devotional 5 October 2023
