Thankful

In the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6, we like verse 11 because we are asking God the Father to provide us our “daily bread”.  That’s the part where we get stuff from God.  But sometimes we forget that in the two verses BEFORE the part where we ask for our daily bread, we should recognize God as the owner of everything.  You see, in verse 9 we “hallow” God’s name.  “Hallowing” means we recognize God as the King of kings, and in verse 10 and we pray for His “Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.”  So we revere God as the ruler of us BEFORE we ask Him for stuff.  Years ago, my son had a cockatiel.  The bird loved my son and would whistle for him and sit on his finger.  But my son went away to college and I took over the care of the bird.  But the bird didn’t like me.  When I reached my hand into the cage to give him food or to change its water, the bird hissed at me as if to bite my hand.  For nine months this went on.  The bird never warmed up to me and never sang for me.  Hey, I was the one providing food and water for that bird!  I gave it heat in the winter and cool air conditioning in the summer.  But the bird loathed me.  It took my food, and it took my water, but it was NEVER grateful or thankful to me.  It took me for granted.  In the bird’s view, I existed only to provide it food and water.  Hey, isn’t that how we are with God?!  We treat God like Santa Claus to give us stuff and to provide us our needs.  But God is to be honored and respected and to be worshiped (hallowed be thy name).  Our life, our world is not about us; it’s all about God.  We exist to give Him glory and praise.  Don’t be ungrateful, like the cockatiel, be grateful to the dear Lord above.  Thank Him today for what He gives you and for who He is … King of kings and Lord of lords!