Monday November 25, 2024

Today is Monday, November 25 and during the week of Thanksgiving we will explore what the Bible says about gratitude and thankfulness.

Blessed and Holy Lord God, in the morning my heart sings of Your faithfulness. I welcome Your gentle presence and rest in Your goodness. I breathe slowly and deeply, quieting the voices of my busy mind and listening for the message You have for me today. I pause to remember and count my many blessings. I rejoice with gratitude for Your steadfast love and faithfulness. You have given me so much and I am filled with thanksgiving. Amen.

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:1-7

The author of Psalm 95 offers a timeless invitation that spans across generations and continents. Come. Come to the Lord. Come singing with joy. Come shouting aloud. Come to Him with a thankful heart. Come kneel in reverence. Come and acknowledge His power and authority.

The author of the Psalm describes who God is. A Rock. The Rock of salvation. God is a great God. He is King above all. He is the earth’s Creator. The deepest valleys of the lowlands and the highest peaks of the mountain tops belong to Him. The soil of the earth and the waters of the sea are His. He made everything. He formed the land that nourishes us. The Psalmist recalls the beautiful analogy of a shepherd watching over His sheep. He reminds us that we are God’s flock, the people of His pasture and we thrive under His care. We can trust Him.

We have much to be thankful for. Perhaps as we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving this week the words of Psalm 95 are a great place to begin. As we count our blessings. Make our gratitude lists. Remember what we are thankful for. We begin with God. The God of the universe. The God who created us, who lovingly formed us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139). We are thankful for life and breath. Thankful for the beauty of nature. The gentle sound of waves crashing against the seashore. The quiet stillness of a forest trail deep in the autumn woods. The sound of birdsong as the sun breaks over the horizon in the early morning. The rustle of leaves as the wind moves through branches. Dew on morning grass and dust specks on sunbeams. The blueness of the big Texas sky and the wispy gentleness of dusty white clouds. The sweet laughter of a small child. The kind eyes of an elderly friend.

God created it all including you and me. Each of us is unique and special. There are no two people who have ever been or ever will be created the same. Even those born as identical twins are different and unique. There is no one who is exactly like you. You are precious. You are God’s treasure. The apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8). And you were made for a relationship with Him – the God of the universe.

Take the Psalmist up on his offer and join him across the ages and sing with joy. Praise God. Speak to Him. He loves you. He cares for you like the sheep of His pasture. He cares about all of you – physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, relationally, financially. He cares about everything in your life. Whatever need you have, whatever worry or concern is on your heart or mind, bring it before Him. That is what these fifteen minutes are for every morning. Come!

Ask: How might I spend time being in God’s presence throughout this upcoming day? How might I notice the beauty of God’s creation and praise Him with joy and thanksgiving?

Pause and Pray

Blessed and holy Lord, I lift my heart to You this morning in joy and praise. Thank You for life and breath. Thank You for loving me, creating me special and unique, calling me Your child, watching over me, caring for my needs, guarding my life, and guiding my steps. I am grateful for the opportunity to dwell in Your presence and feel You with me throughout the course of my day. Remind me to pause and take time to see Your hand in the beauty of nature all around me. Amen.

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