Psalm 139:14 (NIV) I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Your heart beats around 100,000
times each day. Your body has about 6 quarts of blood. This 6 quarts of blood
circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood
travels a total of 12,000 miles—that's four times the distance across the US
from coast to coast. When was the last time you thanked God for one of those
heartbeats?
You take approximately 23,000
breaths every day. The process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide
is a complicated respiratory task that requires physiological precision. We
tend to thank God for the things that take our breath away. And that's fine. But
when was the last time you thanked God for one of your breaths?
Your kidneys are bean-shaped
organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of
your back, just below the rib cage. They are sophisticated trash collectors.
Every day, your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out
about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water
become urine, which flows to your bladder through tubes called ureters. Your
bladder stores urine until you go to the bathroom. When was the last time you went
to the bathroom that you thanked God that your “plumbing” works?
Your eyelids blink about 10,000
times each day (assuming about 8 hours of sleep). We have to blink to cleanse
and moisten the eye. Each time the eyelids close, salty secretions from the
tear glands are swept over the surface of the eye, flushing away small dust
particles and lubricating the exposed portion of the eyeball. Our eyes are
always forming tears. The blink wipes them away and protects and cleans the
eye. When was the last time you thanked God for one of those “cleanings”?
You have roughly 1.6 trillion skin
cells. Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour - about 1.5
pounds a year. By 70 years of age, an average person will have lost 105
pounds of skin, but it’s not the best way to plan on losing weight. Humans
shed and re-grow outer skin cells about every 27 days - almost 1,000 new skins
in a lifetime. When was the last time you thanked God for the protection your
skin gives… and continues to give day in and day out?
The average human mouth produces about two
liters of spit every day. Our salivary glands, which
are located on the inside of each cheek, at the bottom of the mouth and under
the jaw at the front of the mouth, churn out about two to four pints (one to
two liters) of spit every day. Saliva contains many important
substances, including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various
enzymes. Saliva keeps your mouth moist and comfortable and helps you chew,
taste, and swallow. It fights germs in your mouth and prevents bad breath.
It also has proteins and minerals that protect tooth enamel and prevent
tooth decay and gum disease. When was the last time you thanked God when you
smelled or saw something good to eat and your mouth began to water?
Giving thanks should be as natural
as all the ways our bodies were designed to work by God. But, unlike all these
things, thanksgiving is not involuntary. It is an intentional act of worship.
The more we know about God and His world (which includes the way He created
us), the more we find to praise Him. Whether we do so is a moment by moment
decision we make. May the Lord bring to our minds and hearts a thankful spirit
with every breath we take.
1 Thessalonians
5:16-18 (NIV) 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray
continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for
this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15
(NIV) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members
of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Philippians 4:6
(NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Colossians 2:7 (NIV) rooted and built up in him, strengthened in
the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
PRAYER: Father, increase in me an attitude of
appreciation and thankfulness to you in all things. Each time I learn something
new, may it become an occasion for gratitude. I do not take for granted the
wondrous way you have created me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus
Christ is Lord!
Scott
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