Surely if we ask someone for something and they promise to give it to us, plain old common courtesy would say, "Thank you." Yet many petitions are not complete simply because they lack a word of thanks.
Today, we live in an instant society, and we want to approach God on that instant basis. Then we wonder why it isn't working too well. Anything worthwhile takes time. If you are going to have a good marriage, it is going to take time. If you are going to have a good church, it is going to take time.
You might say, "But God, I asked you. How come I don't have it?" First of all, you may have a bad attitude. You may not have a thankful heart.
You need to be kind and gracious. He saved you. He healed you. He filled you with His Spirit. You have so many things to be thankful for.
Sometimes, when just one little thing goes wrong, you get all uptight. You go to Him in prayer, and He turns your whole life around, but you don't even take the time out to say, "Thank You."
Maybe all you need to do is remember to thank Him for the many things He has already done for you and for all that you know He is going to do. Those two words, as small as they are, can make all the difference.
David Prospers
Psalm 118:1-29 is a biblical example of what I call the sandwich theory, which places the request in the middle of the prayer and thanksgiving at the beginning and the end.
David spends the first twenty-four verses of his petition giving thanks to God because: He is good, His mercy endures forever, He answers when David calls on Him, He puts him in a large place, He is on David's side, He takes his part, He is his strength, song, and salvation, and finally just because He has heard him.
It is interesting to notice here that his petition is only one verse long: "Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity" (v.24). Then after he has made his request, he goes back to thanking and praising God in the last four verses.
Was his petition answered? Well, who was only a shepherd boy and became the king of Israel? Who defeated the enemy battle after battle and walked away with the spoils?
David did, and God helped him! He was a man after God's own heart who prospered. David was more conscious of giving thanks unto God than of his need.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers