Begin With Thanksgiving
Three thousand years have rolled through the pages of time. Yet, one man’s name blazes through Biblical pages because of how he began his prayers.
It is one thing to have a name listed along with many others in scripture. It is quite another when noted exactly what sets him apart from 284 other men.
That is the case of one man by the name of, Mattaniah.
Mattaniah…the leader who began the thanksgiving with prayer; Nehemiah 11: 17
Of the 284 Levites who lived in Jerusalem, he’s named twice. Both times with the notation that he led a prayer with thanksgiving.
Yet a third time he is part of a group of Levites who gave praise and thanks within the city (Nehemiah 11:17, 12:8, 24–25).
A personality trait worthy of pursuing is to exhibit a sincere attitude of gratitude.
It is good to express gratitude for what we have in this life.
We do not know much about Mattaniah. He was a Levite. A servant to the priests. Also a gatekeeper. Above all else God wants us to know him as a man who leads out with thanksgiving in his prayers. Wow!
“Thou that hast given so much to me, give one thing more: a grateful heart.” George Herbert 17th century British poet.
Identify your identity definitely.
We identify ourselves often by the position or place in the family we hold. But others recognize us by the attitudes we display.
Yes, Mattaniah had a job; Levite and gatekeeper. His view of gratitude though made all the difference in how his name is listed.
This leads me to ponder the following questions.
Do we want to be remembered by the position we held?
Or by the attitude, we displayed while holding that position?
Mattaniah received both!
These word cousins; gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation, and graciousness build strong character in us. When the meaning of these words become ingrained in the way we live, peace reigns in our soul. We become much better at facing and dealing with day to day challenges. We make decisions with ease. A better person emerges. One which is more likable. Others will approach and accept us into their social circles.
Why does this remarkable change take place?
Mattaniah shows us the way; he “began” with thanksgiving.
His starting point was;
Thankfulness.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalms 100:4 (NLT)
Beginning each day with a grateful heart sets the tone for the whole day. The interactions we have with others are more pleasant.
Be sure to read; https://richard-armstrong.com/the-discipline-of-thanksgiving/
My Prayer
Lord, teach us to have a lifestyle seasoned with an appreciation for all that You have given us in this life. Give us words of gratitude to encourage others in their journey of faith. Amen.
Enjoy this Thanksgiving season.
Thanks for reading.
Richard