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Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
-Psalm 111:1 NIV
Now that it's November, I'm sure we're all aware that the holiday of Thanksgiving is almost upon us!! And (besides all the grocery shopping we have to do) THAT means... you know what's coming right around the corner... but first, we give thanks. And shouldn't we always... first, give thanks?? Shouldn't we make giving thanks to God the first thing we do every day? I know I often wake up and pray, "help!" instead of "thank you!" We are tempted to name our needs before we realize God already knows them and has provided for them. And for that reason alone, we can say "thank you!!"
When I wake up in the morning and take a moment to pray, if I begin with thanksgiving, I suddenly realize how much I've been given, and how generous the hand of God is toward his children! It's a much better way to start the day!
This Sunday, we are singing two hymns that list a litany of things for which we can be thankful...
For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.
For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For the gifts to every nation, thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
Silent growth while we are sleeping,
Future needs in earth's safe-keeping, thanks be to God.
When you sing these words, think of how you have been blessed with all of these gifts, and give thanks to the amazingly generous God who created heaven and earth... and YOU!
In the just reward of labor, God's will be done.
In the help we give our neighbor, God's will be done.
In our worldwide task of caring
For the hungry and despairing,
In the harvests we are sharing, God's will be done.
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