I heard a story about a boy, who quarreled with his parents, and then he left home angrily. At night, the boy felt hungry, but still didn’t want to go home. It was about 2 a.m., he was extremely hungry. Seeing a midnight snack stand, which was about to close, he walked toward the shopkeeper and said, “Sir, I’m hungry. Could you give me some food? But I have no money….” When the shopkeeper noticed the little boy was so pitiful, he gave him a bowl of noodles. After the boy ate the noodles, he knelt before the shopkeeper and said, “Thank you, sir! You saved me, but I don’t know how to repay you. …” The shopkeeper guessed the little boy was running away from home, so he earnestly said to the little boy, “Child, listen to me. I just gave you a bowl of noodles. However, from your birth to now, how many bowls of noodles have your parents made for you during the numerous days and nights? How many things have they done for you? Have you ever thought about these? If so, who is the one you should show most gratitude to?” After hearing these words, the little boy seemed to realize something, and then he stood up and ran back home in tears. The shopkeeper sighed with emotion and gave a gratified smile….

   After hearing this story, I couldn’t help thinking: The shopkeeper gave the little boy one bowl of noodles, and he should show gratitude to the shopkeeper. His parents gave birth to him and looked after him until he grew up, so he should treat his parents with filial respect. As for God, who bestows all things upon us and supplies life for us, aren’t we supposed to show most gratitude to Him?

   Almighty God says, “God created this world and brought man, a living being unto which He bestowed life, into it. In turn, man came to have parents and kin and was no longer alone. Ever since man first laid eyes on this material world, he was destined to exist within the ordination of God. It is the breath of life from God that supports each living being throughout his ‘growth into adulthood.’ During this process, none believes that he lives and ‘grows up’ under the care of God. Rather, man holds that he grows up under the love and care of his parents, and that his ‘growth’ is governed by the instinct of life. This is because man knows not who bestowed ‘life’ or from whence it came, much less how the instinct of life creates miracles. Man knows only that food sustains life, that perseverance is the source of existence, and that the belief in his mind is the wealth of such. Man does not feel the grace and provision from God. Man then squanders the lifebestowed upon him by God. …” (from The Word Appears in the Flesh)

   “Were it not for the Creator’s predestination and His guidance, a life newly born into this world would not know where to go or where to stay, would have no relations, belong nowhere, have no real home. But because of the Creator’s meticulous arrangements, it begins the journey of its life with a place to stay, parents, a place it belongs to, and relatives. Throughout this process, the advent of this new life is determined by the Creator’s plans, and everything it will come to possess will be bestowed upon it by the Creator.” (from A Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh) Through reading the words of God, I understand it is God who created this world and mankind and bestowed the breath of life upon us. It is the breath of life from God that supports us to grow up. It is also God who supplies the needs for survival to us. If it were not for God’s grace and provision, we would have no way to live. Our parents could only give birth to us, but they couldn’t give us lives, let alone control our fate. God blew the breath of life into us and provides us with all things we need. Only He is the way of life and the source of life of all things. If the Creator didn’t arrange everything for us, we would not have anything, much less would we know where to go. The Creator’s love for mankind can’t be expressed by words and even more is beyond the love of our parents. However, when we are enjoying all these things, we don’t remember to give thanks to God, much less know all things are bestowed by the Creator. Man forgets God’s grace, but God is still doing everything for man silently.God’s love is so great. Who should we show most gratitude to? Isn’t He God who bestows life upon us and provides us with what we need?

Sharing a moving and pleasant hymn with you: “How Important God’s Love for Man Is”

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