Today, our devotion is on the third component of effective, powerful prayer – thanksgiving. Am I the source of my own success? Or is Christ in me the source of my success? Christians are not self-made persons, they are made in the image of God and then become new creations in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). As a new creation in Christ, prayer with our Heavenly Father with thanksgiving will determine your focus. Prayer without thanksgiving is self-centered, while prayer with thanksgiving is God-centered.
Nehemiah focused on God, and gave God thanks even before receiving the blessing of returning to his homeland. Wow! A man who saw his home in ruins saw God’s hand in the future of Jerusalem and gave thanks to his God for the new opportunity before him.
The challenge for us is to do the same. Thank God before any expectation of blessing. A warning to all: Romans 1:21 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” – Honor God as God and give thanks, if you do not, you are living just like the unbeliever.
Prayer/Challenge
Take a prayer walk today, honor God, and look everywhere with eyes to see God’s blessings. Look and hear for God’s blessing in nature, see God’s blessing in your home with your family, and remember God’s greatest blessing through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, your provision for eternal life.
