O for a thankful heart!

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(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")

"Be thankful!" Colossians 3:15

What tremendous cause we have to be thankful--what marvelous reasons we have to be grateful!

We are surrounded by mercies, both temporal and spiritual. If we look back, we ought to rejoice that . . .
God has chosen us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world;
He sent His only-begotten Son into the world, to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins;
He sent His Holy Spirit into our hearts, to convince us of sin, lead us to Jesus, and make us fit for Heaven!

We have . . .
His Word in our hands,
His grace in our hearts,
His mercies in our houses,
His Heaven before our eyes!

O for a thankful heart!

Let us take our poor, hard, ungrateful hearts to Jesus--He can soften them and fill them with gratitude!

Let us confess our ingratitude before Him, and mourn over our unthankfulness at His feet.

O Jesus, grant us a deep sense of our utter unworthiness, and of Your unmerited goodness--that our souls may daily praise You with joyful lips! May we live . . .
as thankful dependents on Your gracious bounty;
as grateful, loving children, before our Father and our God
--and daily be thankful.

Through all eternity, to You,
A joyful song I'll raise;
But O eternity's too short,
To utter all Your praise!

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