"I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High." Psalms 9:1-2 NIV
David wrote many songs about his relationship with God. In some, he was angry, others repentant, some sad, in others joyful. What they all have in common is his unreserved, unabashed emotion. He held nothing back, putting it all on the line with honesty. His belief in God as a personal friend continues to sing to us from the pages. In today's verses, he pours out his pure unadulterated thanks. Listen to the word choices; "all my heart,” "glad and rejoice,” "sing praises.” What a beautifully joyful song of thanksgiving.
Tomorrow we observe the holiday we call Thanksgiving. For many of us, today will be spent in preparation continuing through tomorrow morning. We will spend hours in preparation for a meal that will be consumed in minutes. Don't get me wrong. I love this holiday—a wonderful time spent with friends and family, filled with lots of funny remembrances and laughter. But like Christmas, it is often easy for us to lose the day’s true meaning amid the preparation. Except for the perfunctory prayer at the beginning of the meal. Our thanks get lost among the parades, football games, and food.
For most, this Thanksgiving looks different. Our gatherings are smaller, and many of our traditions changed. In this pandemic year lies an opportunity to return the Thanks to Thanksgiving. Like David, we can express our sincere and honest gratitude to God for all his goodness, showering him with our unbridled praise for the earthly bounty he provides, and more importantly, the heavenly gifts of salvation and the Holy Spirit.
Heavenly Father, we give you thanks from the deepest place in our hearts, and we rejoice in your amazing grace. Often we forget even a simple thank you. Please forgive us. We acknowledge all that we have are gifts from you. Let us not be bashful or ashamed to share the message of your grace with others. In Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Blessings!
Pastor Tim
How will you show your thanks to God? With whom can you share the message of his grace?
