You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Psalm 119:28 ESV
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thess. 5:18 NLT
Heavenly Father, we want to begin (and continue) this day with a spirit of gratitude—for the glory of your name, the health of our hearts, and the benefit to our neighbors. Though we can default to whining and carping, comparing and coveting, you’ve given us copious reasons to rest and rejoice.
We’ll start here. Thank you for registering our names in heaven (Luke 10:20)—for writing us into the Book of Life with the indelible ink of your grace (Rev. 3:5). Nothing can separate us from your love, pry us from Jesus’ hand, or keep us from heaven.
Your steadfast love endures, because Jesus’ work was once-and-for-all. You’ve hidden our lives in Christ, clothed us in his righteousness, and dress us daily in garments of grace. We live in your permanent favor, constant delight, and unbreakable providence. What more could we possibly hope for?
Though we don’t always understand your ways, see your hand, or like your timing, the gospel frees us to trust you in the 9/11’s, Irma’s, and wildfires of life; when the power is off and the lines are long.
Thank you for being sovereign over our joys and tears, rejoicings and sufferings; the days we declare, “Great is thy faithfulness!”, and the days we cry out, “How long, O Lord?”
Father, thank you for telling us some things will only make sense later, for we see dimly and know partially (1 Cor. 13:9). Forgive us when we want answers more than we want you, and when we want pain relief more than we want changed hearts.
We await the Day of wiped tears and redeemed pain, finished stories and no upheaval, the Day of all things new and no more evil. Until that Day—until that uber–blessed Day, we purpose to remain grateful—when we’re “feelin’ it,” and when we’re not. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ beautiful and trustworthy name.