Exodus 23:15 KJV
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:
Thanksgiving is what it is - It is thanks; not just in words, but thanks that comes with giving. You cannot sincerely say you are thanking God and then do so with an empty hand. That would be an irony. God expressly declared that none should appear before Him empty. Just like you cannot appear before an earthly king empty. It is not in line with protocol and it is; in fact, disorderly.
Do not come empty to God; that is why it is called thanksgiving. It is a kind of thanks that is accompanied by all kinds of givings. Appearing before God without a form of Gift makes your prayer, praise or thanks ineffective. The word “empty” means “ineffective” in the Hebrew language.
Remember Proverbs 18:16 says that the gift of a man makes room for him, and brings him before great men. This is because the Gift makes your coming effective.
The evidence of thanksgiving therefore is the gift that accompanies it and not just the words of appreciation, as powerful as they may sound. A Gift reveals the kind of value you place on a person.
The very thought of presenting something at all is a beautiful thing and sends a pleasant signal to the receiver. That very thought put into the gift is far much more than the cost of the gift itself. As we approach the end of the year where many churches will be thanking God, including God’s House of Refuge; make up your mind to do it well, since you now have a better understanding. Don’t just thank Him, but thank Him with a giving, so it would be a complete thanksgiving.
Action Points
i. Plan a giving to God in this thanksgiving season.
ii. Make sure your thanksgiving this year is from your heart.
iii. Make a list of seventeen things to be thankful for in 2017.
Prayer
-Lord I am so thankful for all you have done and been to me. I love you Lord.
-Lord I will not take you for granted; I will come with sacrifices of Praise to you in Jesus Name.
Nugget
You cannot sincerely say you are thanking God and then do so with an empty hand, appearing without a form of Gift makes your prayer, praise or thanks ineffective.
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