a change of perspective

Thankfulness will be our normal attitude ([1 Thess. 5] v. 18) because, unlike the days when we were dominated by the “flesh,” we will no longer be thinking of all that we deserve that we never get. Rather, we will be astonished that we, who deserve nothing but eternal damnation, have been made the very heirs of heaven. When the “flesh” rules, it is constantly chafing at the “unreasonable” demands of God; not that his demands are unreasonable, but that the unsurrendered self finds all commands unreasonable. Now having exercised faith to allow the Spirit of Christ to fill us, we are amazed that God gives so much and asks so little. Has God changed? No, we have changed, with the result that we now see things as they are, and are filled with gratitude.— Called to be Holy, page 157

<idle musing>
Debbie and I were just discussing this very thing on our walk yesterday. I think one of the reasons why there is so little gratitude is because what we call repentance isn't really repentance. Finney, for all his problems, didn't let people think they were saved until they had a consciousness that a. They needed a savior, and b. they were consciously aware that they were forgiven and made new. Wesley had a similar mode of operation. No sinner's prayer for these guys. They wanted to see a life transformed by God. But they also knew that you can't encounter the living God and not know it. There was a very real sense of gratitude for what God had done in us through Christ and the Holy Spirit. Would that we had some of that now in popular evangelistic techniques...
</idle musing>