Acknowledge

I love to give gifts but I’m terrible at surprises! I put off shopping too far in advance because even if I find the perfect thing, (especially if I find the perfect thing) I’ll never be able to save it for long. The anticipation overwhelms me until I slip up and give away the surprise! I look forward to the smile acknowledging the love behind my giving, whether or not the gift was exactly what was hoped for or even wanted. I’d imagine my Heavenly Father anticipates the same spark of recognition as I receive from His hand every good and perfect gift, (James 1:17) and unlike me, He expects His gifts to be received with thanksgiving, even when the gift is a trial or the recognition of my own failing. He knows exactly what I need to become more like Jesus, and He gives generously without finding fault. (James 1:5)

“Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his.”

Psalms 100:3 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/psa.100.3.nlt

We are His creation, the work of His hand, created in His own image. (Genesis 1:27) He knit me together in my mother’s womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:13-14) Science can explain the process but not its origin because we are God’s original idea and eternal God has no beginning and no end.

“Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.”

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/ecc.7.13-14.nlt

If this past year has taught us anything, it’s definitely that nothing is certain! By March, 2020, it was obvious the pandemic was global and gratitude was certainly not the prevailing sentiment. We are quick to accept blessing from the hand of God. Why not everything else? We live in a fallen world; the same one Jesus came to save. A gift is more easily acknowledged than a fault, a friend welcomed above a stranger. Still Jesus says, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.”

Matthew 10:32, 40 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/mat.10.32,40.nlt

Jesus was God’s greatest gift yet He was neither acknowledged as Messiah nor received with thanksgiving by everyone. “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—”

John 1:10-12 NIV

https://www.bible.com/111/jhn.1.10-12.niv

Only one thing is required to be able to acknowledge God and to give thanks in all circumstances- the indwelling Spirit of God. God’s children receive His Spirit as a guarantee just as the first Christians received the Spirit as a flame of fire resting on them at the moment of their belief. We have no visible flame representing God’s Spirit, but there should definitely be visible evidence that His Spirit is alive in me.

“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.”

1 John 4:12, 17 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/1jn.4.12,17.nlt

When describing this manifestation of the Spirit to young Timothy, his son in the faith, Paul used fire as a visual image. He challenged Timothy to “fan into flame” the Spirit that was in him, and he warned him against putting out the flame. Just as a campfire needs to be fed to keep it from dwindling, so the indwelling Spirit of God feeds on daily doses of the Word of God.

“Do not quench the Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 5:19 NIV

https://www.bible.com/111/1th.5.19.niv

“Never restrain or put out the fire of the Holy Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 5:19 TPT

https://www.bible.com/1849/1th.5.19.tpt

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

https://www.bible.com/111/2ti.1.7.niv

“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV

https://www.bible.com/111/2co.1.21-22.niv

Being empowered by God is a gift of His Spirit, so to acknowledge Him, we “must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Being created in the image of God means we have a choice. He does not insist that we acknowledge Him on this earth, but a day is coming when the time for choosing will be over.

“The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm.”

Philippians 2:10 TPT

https://www.bible.com/1849/php.2.10.tpt

“The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done.”

Psalms 22:27, 30-31 NLT

https://www.bible.com/116/psa.22.27,30-31.nlt

Each day that I awake, I have a simple yet profound choice. Will I make Him known, or will the good news, the gospel message, stop with me? The Bible is clear about what happens when one generation drops the ball.

“After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done…”

Judges 2:10 NIV

https://www.bible.com/111/jdg.2.10.niv

When I reach the end of this life and enter eternity, what sort of reception will be mine? I want to hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come! Share your Master’s happiness!” (Matthew 26:21) And in the days left to me here, I want to insure that future generations hear about His wonders, even those not yet born!