Psalm 103
‘Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
MAY I NEVER FORGET THE GOOD THINGS HE DOES FOR ME.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!’
(Psalm 103:1-5 NLT)
There was a song written for one of The Salvation Army musicals which, even though it might be classed as an old song now, is appropriate for today. In the song the children are asking for lots of things from God: ‘Please help me pass my exams; please get me into the football team; please could we have a new tv – in colour.’ Then they are reminded that they’ve forgotten to do something. It’s then that the following words are sung:
‘I nearly forgot to say: Thank you! for flowers and thrushes and things,
For daisies that dapple the meadow, and patterns on butterfly wings,
For stars that shine, for winds that blow, the sun that melts the ice and snow;
I nearly forgot to say: Thank you! for rainbows that follow the rain;
But really I want to say: Thank you! again and again, and again!’
from Hosea by Gowans and Larsson, Sing for Joy No 101
Psalm 103 starts with praise and reminds us not to forget to thank God for all he has done for us. It reminds us that we have been created by God and God continues to show us grace and love; there is so much to be grateful for. The psalm lists many of the good things God has done for us – God is compassionate and filled with mercy, he empathises with us and our failings, he forgives us and doesn’t seek to punish us – he is filled with an unfailing love for us.
But, like the song, we can so often forget to say thank you – to our friends, family, and the people we meet in the shop. But so often we also forget to say thank you to God for all he has done for us.
If we’re completely honest, life can be tough for many of us at times, and it can seem difficult to find anything to be thankful for.
However, in all the different moments in our lives I wonder if, at the end of every day, we could find one thing that we were thankful for, however small. For instance: a chance to sit and have a cup of tea; that the washing machine is working; a neighbour is smiling. I wonder if we practised this thankfulness every day, if it would become instinctive for us in our every day, and we would discover so much for which we can be thankful. I wonder how this would change things and how much more thankful would we be to the God who gives us so much.
PRAYER
May your heart awaken each morning to the gifts already here,
May your spirit rest each evening in the grace of what is near.
May thankfulness fill your days like sunlight upon your skin,
And may joy rise from within you flowing endlessly again.
You are blessed, you are grateful, you are whole.
Amen.
Unknown
