Listen

Give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make his deeds known to all people! Sing to God; sing praises to the Lord; dwell on all his wondrous works! Give praise to God’s holy name! Let the hearts rejoice of all those seeking the Lord! Pursue the Lord and his strength; seek his face always! Remember the wondrous works he has done, all his marvelous works, and the justice he declared— you who are the offspring of Abraham, his servant, and the children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

Psalm 105:1-6

Think

Gratitude is powerful! Psychologists have found that recognizing and acknowledging blessings in our lives can benefit our mental and physical health and also lead us to build stronger relationships.

But life can be challenging; it seems like there’s so much to grumble about. Gratitude can be hard when things don’t seem to go our way.

The psalmist – and today’s psychologists – have some advice for us: to feel grateful, we need to remember! Remember God’s wondrous works – immense canyons, welcome rainfall, the chirp of baby birds. Remember the justice God has declared: that God does not want us to live as slaves. That God is with us in our desert treks and will provide what we need. That God seeks each of us to work for the Kingdom.

Remembering can help us recognize and acknowledge blessings in our lives.

Suffused with gratitude, we can then take the psalmist’s advice to sing, give praise, and pursue the Lord!

Jane Claspy Nesmith

Question to Ponder:

What are you grateful for today?

Pray

Bountiful God, you shower me with so many blessings, but I often do not notice.

Help me to be more aware of the goodness around me, especially when I’m feeling grumbly.

Then you will turn my complaints into song and praise!

Amen.

Go

Here’s the story I’ll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs:

Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel.

God has never let you down.

from Psalm 22:22-24 (The Message)