Today’s devotional comes from Alistair Begg’s “A Call to Thanksgiving.”

Gracious Gratitude

Almost everyone appreciates a good gift. Family, freedom, leisure, a warm bed, and a refreshing drink all make for a grateful heart, and we’re all naturally able to express at least some measure of gratitude for them. “Thank you” is a phrase we learn young.

The American revivalist Jonathan Edwards helpfully distinguished between what he referred to as “natural gratitude” and “gracious gratitude.” Natural gratitude starts with the things we’re given and the benefits which accompany them. Anybody is capable of natural gratitude. Gracious gratitude, though, is very different, and only God’s children can experience and express it. Gracious gratitude recognizes the character, goodness, love, power, and excellencies of God, regardless of any gifts or enjoyments He has given. It knows we have reason to be grateful to God whether it’s a good day or a bad day, whether we’re employed or unemployed, whether the daily news is upbeat or overwhelming, whether we’re completely healthy or facing a terminal diagnosis. Such gratitude is only discovered by grace, and it is a true mark of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. Gracious gratitude enables us to face all things with the awareness that God is profoundly involved in our lives and circumstances, for He has made us special objects of His love.

When Jonathan Edwards died as a result of a smallpox vaccination, Sarah, his wife, wrote to their daughter, “What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud.” Notice the honesty in that. There’s no superficial triumphalism. But her husband was not taken out by chance; it was the overruling sovereignty of God that determined the right time to bring Jonathan home to his eternal reward. And so Sarah continued, “But my God lives; and he has my heart … We are all given to God: and there I am, and love to be.”

Amid grief, we will never be able to speak words like these from natural gratitude, which cannot help us in loss. Such reflection can only flow from gracious gratitude. You may be facing difficult or even heartbreaking circumstances at the moment; and if you are not, then that day will come, for this is a fallen world. But in those moments, you can cling to God’s love and choose to trust God’s goodness, expressed most clearly at the cross. Then, even in the darkest hours, you will know the joy of His presence and always have cause to give thanks to Him. There is strength, dignity, and worship in being able to say, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

Today’s Updates:

Zach has had an okay couple of days. He was able to get some rest in between episodes of agitation. When Zach has been restless the last couple days, it’s been very hard to calm him down. Zach consistently becomes upset when Megan or his parents leave the room and he remains stressed with a high heart rate for a while after one of us leaves.

We continue to praise God for the small improvements we see in Zach’s cognition. Yesterday he responded to a command to close his eyes and a command to open his mouth Following the commands appears to take a lot of effort, energy, and processing for Zach, and he appears overwhelmed when he hears too many commands. Today Zach has been moving his mouth a lot, and sometimes he has a very sad expression on his face. We are thankful to God, the Great Physician, for the small signs of healing in Zach’s brain, and we pray for continued healing that one day Zach will be able to communicate again.

Zach has been doing well with his tracheostomy, and has tolerated having the trach cuff down for the entire day these past couple of days. We praise our God for this progress, as it means that Zach is stable enough for a transfer to Calgary.

Please pray with us for continued healing for Zach’s mind and body, and thank the Lord for his preserving hand and all-knowing plan.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭36‬)

“…being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬-‭12‬)