Summary: Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (Deuteronomy 8:2, NIV) It’s easy for us to take God’s protection for granted. We seldom take notice or thank God for the things that "don't go wrong". I wasn't sick today! I didn't have an accident today! I didn't lose my job today! The people of Israel didn’t even notice that in forty years of wandering in the desert, their clothes didn’t wear out and their feet didn’t swell. Thus, they did not remember to give thanks to God for these blessings. What has been working well for you? What has been giving you good service? What has been lasting for a long time without breaking down or falling apart? Remember to thank God for the things that didn't happen today! Many people wait until something bad comes into their lives, then they turn to God. Like a child, they wait until they have been spanked to be good. But the Apostle Paul said, "The GOODNESS of God leads men to repentance." Gratitude, gratefulness, thankfulness, grateful heart, feeling of obligation, sense of obligation, grateful acceptance and appreciation are all synonyms for being thankful. The Apostle Paul indicated that one of the signs of a society in decline is the absence of a grateful heart toward God for His blessings. (See Rom. 1:21) "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you, I Thess. 5:18." Paul Graham
