Unthankful

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:21 

In the KJV there are three verses with the word “thankful”. Romans 1:21 is one of them. When I read it I just thought WOW.

Let’s look at the verse in sections:

Because that, when they knew God, the people had a knowledge of the Great and Wonderful God

they glorified him not as God, the people did not glorify (to render (or esteem) glorious)… They did not give God the glory due to his precious name.

Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. Psalm 96:3

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. Psalm 96:8

neither were thankful; Not only did the people not give God the glory due Him but they were unthankful. Unthankful is a sad word. I hear the phrases, “I deserve this” or “I don’t deserve this” very often in today’s world. Just turn the television on for a few minutes and you are bound to hear one or the other. Someone wins the lottery and the next words are “I deserved this”. When people are unthankful it is usually because they did not get something they thought they deserved.

but became vain in their imaginations, Vain in this verse means to render (passively become) foolish, that is, (morally) wicked or (specifically) idolatrous. The word imaginations denotes thoughts.

and their foolish heart was darkened. This last portion is an accumulation of all the above, because they did not use the knowledge of God to glorify God but were unthankful and foolish in their thoughts, their foolish heart is dark.

My favorite holiday falls in November, Thanksgiving. As we begin this “thankful” month may we not be like the people in the Book of Romans.

Each day in November, actually it should be each day of our life, find something to be thankful for. Can you walk? Can you talk? Did you drink clean  water today? My questions can go on but you get the point, let’s be thankful for what we have.

I’ll start  by praising the God in Heaven who sent His Son to die for me. Thank you Lord for loving and caring for me, that you sent your Son so I could spend eternity in heaven.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17

If gratitude is due from children to their earthy parent, how much more is the gratitude of the great family of men due to our Father in heaven. ~ H. Ballou

Have a day full of thanks,
Donna

P.S. I will be injecting “thankful blogs” into my Ecclesiastes blogs during the month of November.