As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, here is the last devotion on a heart of gratitude that focuses on our response:

IN WORD We’re often not conscious of the statements we make, but they are more numerous than we think. We aren’t aware of them because most are not verbal. They are revelations of the heart, spoken by our choices. As is often said, actions speak louder than words. Consider, for example, what we are saying when we have no money for God’s ministry but enough to pay the cable bill. Or when we see the starving and wish we could help—and then waste money on soft drinks with no nutritional value. Why does thirty dollars a month to save a child seem like so much, and thirty dollars for a steak dinner for two seem like such a bargain?
What do our choices say of God? Not much. They say more about our values. They reveal what’s in our heart. God is no enemy of entertainment and taste buds. But He is an enemy of idols, and our choices reveal what they are. We deceive ourselves often—our enormous capacity for doing so came with the Fall. It’s amazing how much we can’t afford to do for God’s Kingdom—the budget is always tight, right? Meanwhile, the vacations we really want to take are usually taken. The meals we really want to eat are usually eaten. The make and model we want to drive is usually in our driveway. We more comfortably delay God’s gratification than our own.
IN DEED We need to snap out of our unconsciousness. Many of our idols have become automatic to us. We don’t see them as intentional choices that reveal the treasures of our heart. But deep down we know: If we loved God with all of our being, if we treasured His Kingdom above all else, He would see more of our treasure given for His use. Why is this so important? Does God have insufficient funds? Of course, not! The Owner of all isn’t short of cash when He really wants to accomplish something. He wants more than cash. He wants us to value faith, the currency of His Kingdom, over the currency of this world. More than that, He wants us. He wants our choices to reflect an intense, unbridled love. He wants them to honor Him. “Get all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.” – John Wesley (in “Walking with God” by Chris Tiegreen)

Do you really want to thank God for all that He has done for you? Just like the poor widow who gave her two cents, all she had (Luke 21:1-4), do you have a heart that desires to thank the Lord? Then consider an added gift to the Lord as we enter the holiday season. Consider what you’ll be spending on yourself for Black Friday or what you have spent on yourself thus far this year, and ask the Holy Spirit to place in your heart a gift of honor to the LORD who gave His life for you.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving as you remember the many gifts the Lord has blessed you with! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam