WHAT DO WE OFFER HIM IN EXCHANGE FOR THE “GOOD NEWS”?

READ: Philippians 2: 14-15

“You are my God, and I will give You thanks;

You are my God, and I will exalt You.” Psalm 118:28 (NIV)

I confess that I’m an inveterate eavesdropper! I delight in over hearing other people’s conversations. I don’t really consider it as snooping since if they are talking at a volume level so an old hearing-impaired codger like myself can hear; they must not be very concerned about the privacy of their discourse.

Surprisingly, most of the “messages” I hear are complaints! They are lamentations about prices of goods, health problems, other people’s foibles, their thoughtless kids, etc. etc. Hearing all expressions of discontent causes me to wonder if the glory of God ever shines in their lives. Further, I often ponder what their prayers are like or even if they are on speaking terms with our Lord.

One study found that over 90% of prayers are of the “I want” variety. Sometimes I attempt to visualize God listening to all these tales of woe and expressions of greed exemplified by “I wants”. How weary He must be at the end of the day contemplating all the good things He sends into our lives but in return hears only about real or perceived ills. Such thoughts prompted me to develop a list of the many blessing I have either witnessed or experienced during the day and present them to Him as a Thank You note. Surely, the God who has given the “Good News” would like to hear some from each of us.