Choosing To Be Grateful (Original Work)

Good Morning Friday...
Father Thank You for this NEW DAY. We have GRATEFUL HEARTS for all You Do. Thank You for the extraordinary gifts in our lives and the extraordinary LOVE YOU SHARE with us in Your Word. In PRAISE, we pray IN JESUS CHRIST'S NAME. Amen!

“And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭41:50-52‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

-Choosing to Be Grateful

Gratitude is not something that comes naturally to us. Feeling sorry for ourselves does. Complaining and griping does. No one ever has to remind us to offer complaints or pity to ourselves, but gratitude is different. It is a learned behavior. We are taught by our parents, guardians, and others in our community about how to be polite, kind, and grateful. It is a discipline, and once learned... a choice.

If we are going to focus on Gratitude, we can quickly turn to Joseph in Genesis and see a wonderful example of One Who Chose To Be Grateful. Joseph (A Picture of Our Messiah) seems to have every reason not to be Grateful. He had been abandoned, sold into slavery, betrayed by his brothers, and alienated in a country that was not his own. Sheeez! Can you imagine? But look as we may, throughout Joseph's Story we don't see any feeling sorry for himself or complaining. In fact, along The Way of adversity and on his way to becoming The Leader And Savior Of The World, Joseph Blesses Everyone He Comes In Contact With. (Seeing that picture of Our Messiah yet?🔥) What is it that we do see here despite all the adversity Joseph faced? Gratitude. Two wonderful ways Joseph chose to show Gratitude towards Our Heavenly Father was the names he chose for his Firstborn Sons. Manassas and Ephraim.

Manassas. It means "God Made Me Forget." Think about that for a moment. Every time Joseph called his son's name, he was saying "God Made Me Forget." What do you think God Made Him Forget? You got it. God made Joseph forget all the horrible afflictions and events he passed through on The Way to his now highly honored, favored, and fruitful position in which God Established Him (Picture! 🔥). Joseph knew he was blessed and he acted accordingly in all situations. Joseph showed Our Father how grateful he was, but also showed the entire world his Gratefulness Towards God. Talk about a witnessing tool. Now That's Gratitude!

When Joseph's second son arrived, he once again chose to show Gratitude to Yahweh (YHWH, The LORD), God Our Father. He named his second son Ephraim. The meaning? "God Made Me Fruitful." Wow. Talk about "Giving It Up To God (Psalm 75:1)" or "Boasting In Him (1 Cor 1:31)"! It is hard to imagine just how many people God used Joseph to bring to Him. Joseph not only ruled the world for God, but showed unmeasured Gratitude. When even speaking his son's names, anyone and anywhere, they were publicly praising His God and His Father... Our Father!

In these two demonstrations of Joseph's Gratitude towards God, God Was showing everyone in the entire world then, and now THE WAY of Gratitude. One Name Honored God And Showed His Mercy, One Name Honored God And Proclaimed His Favor.
(See what He Did There?🔥)

May we all take a note from Joseph in showing true Gratitude. May we all choose to show Our Heavenly King, Father, Savior, and God our Gratitude today.

Prayer:

Dear Father God, You Are Great. Thank You for Your Awesome Stories of Grace, Favor, and Good Conduct. Thank You also for showing us the stories that are not so full of good conduct, so we know the difference. We Thank You for Your Word, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our King. We Thank You for Waking Us Up. Father, as we Thank You and Praise You, we also ask for help. Help raise us out of our metaphorical "pits" as You Helped Joseph Out of His, and As You Raised Jesus Out of Death. We know You Have All Power, Mercy, and Favor. Help Us To See This Wherever We Go and Help Discipline Us To Show You Gratitude Wherever We Are . Help Us To Make Wise Choices. Help Us to be where You want us to be. May Your Will Be Done. We ask this in Yeshua Ha'Mashiac, Jesus Christ Our Beloved's Name. Amen!

Credit: God (YAHWEH), God's Word (Jesus Christ), and Servant of Yeshua 7
Picture Credit: God (YHWH), God's Word ( Yeshua), google images, amazingfacts.org, pintrest.com, free-wallpaper-christian.com, youtube.com, alittleperspective.com, sound doctrine ministries, Gratefulprayerthankfulheart.com, christianquotes.info , quotescodex.com, knowing-Jesus.com, ourdailybreadcrumbs.com, Faith-life Bible App, heartlight.org, JesusIsALifestyle, YouVersion Bible App, and yeshua.org

Praise Yahweh and Yeshua!!!