Gratitude Begets Gratitude

Synopsis     2Sam 7:15-25     11/29/2018 

God promised that David and his descendants would rule on the throne forever. And King David was struck with an overwhelming sense of gratitude.  

King David the Grateful 

David practiced gratitude. In fact, he almost always practiced gratitude. When he was being chased around the desert wilderness, he practiced gratitude. And when he killed the giant Goliath, he practiced gratitude. In the same way, when his family was saved from Amorite raiders at Ziklag, he practiced gratitude.  

But on the day when God promised David that his throne should remain forever, he didn’t practice gratitude. He couldn’t chose it. Instead, David was overwhelmed with gratitude.  

Gratitude Begets Gratitude 

Look, there is no rule that says I must be grateful. Clearly, I have alternatives:  

I could hang on to my childish entitlement – thinking that I’m owed something. And then I’d cultivate a disposition to be disappointed every time things didn’t go exactly my way. 

Or I can practice gratefulness – even when I don’t feel grateful. And if I do, then eventually my eyes will open to the reality that I have been ridiculously blessed. And when that moment comes, I’ll feel the gratitude of King David. I’ll feel a sense of gratitude that transcends any choice to be grateful, or not.