Recall God’s lovingkindness to you

The story is told of a little boy who was asked, “Do you say your prayers every night?” He replied, “No, some nights I don’t need anything!” We smile, but the point is painfully obvious. If the only time your husband or wife communicated with you was when they were in trouble or had a need they couldn’t meet, how long do you think your relationship would last? There must be a balance between your praises and your petitions. You say, “If the Lord is big enough to create and run the universe, I doubt He’s bothered when somebody as insignificant as me fails to say thanks.” Not so! When Jesus healed ten lepers and only one returned to give thanks, He asked, “Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17 NIV). If God dealt with you solely on the basis of His righteousness and your proclivity for unrighteousness, you’d be sunk! But He doesn’t. He says, “I have loved you…with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself” (Jeremiah 31:3 NLT). Realizing this, the psalmist wrote, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live” (Psalm 63:3-4 NKJV). Again he wrote, “I will…praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name. In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:2-3 NKJV). Someone quipped, “God doesn’t mind getting invoiced as long as He gets thanked!” So, take a moment and recall God’s lovingkindness to you.