Liquid Nails

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 (NIV)

Watching someone you love be overwhelmed by bitterness and hatred is hard.  The process is often like watching a building deteriorate and fall apart.  It doesn’t happen overnight.  Admittedly we often are too busy to see the warning signs or like the ostrich we stick our heads in the sand and ignore the danger.  Inevitably the collapse is going to occur.  The cancer of the soul will eat away at their strength until they can no longer keep up appearances and it happens.  The anger and resentment boils over demanding that everyone pay attention.  It doesn’t have to be that way.

Thanksgiving Day is really a day to remember.  To take only one day and fill it with thankfulness is folly.  Instead let it be a reminder that we should be thankful every day, that in everything we should give thanks.  We must teach our children that most important character trait – gratitude.  Learning to appreciate the kindness afforded us by others helps to prepare our hearts to worship God.  If we cannot value the time, effort, and finances given to us by our earthly parents and friends, then we will never truly appreciate the wondrous gifts that our Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us.  When we look back at the desperation of our souls and know that while we were without hope Christ died for us it doesn’t just make us thankful on Sunday.  True gratitude makes our hearts overflow daily with love and honor for the sacrifice God made for us. 

One gets the sense that Paul is amazed that “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him”.  How could that be?  How could someone turn their back on God?  How could they ignore such a great salvation?  It didn’t happen overnight.  They took the love, the gifts, the blessings, for granted.  They begin to feel that they had earned them.  They grew to despise the hand that blessed them.  The only thing that mattered was self.  Pride and ambition began to smother the once humble heart and slowly ate away the foundations of their love until nothing could hold back the rising anger.  Scripture tells us that “whom the Lord loves He chastens”.  That often quoted Scripture is familiar but if you read just nine verses farther in Hebrews 12:15 it says this,
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

Did you catch that?  God loves you and when He sees the rot of pride and self beginning to eat away at your soul He will warn you, chasten you, and correct you but be careful that you don’t fail of the grace of God.  The root of bitterness that springs from the ungrateful heart will defile you and eventually your life will collapse around you like a house without foundations.

How important is thankfulness?  It is much too important to limit it to one day.  Gratitude is like liquid nails reinforcing the bond that holds us together.  Apply liberally.

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18