Give thanks... with a grateful heart

Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20

Henry Smith wrote the modern hymn “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart” to remind us what the Lord has done for us. Giving thanks is the response of a heart deep within the repose (rest, stillness, pleasure, calmness, ease) of God.

Sometimes people ask me, “How can I feel closer to God?” I quickly respond, “Count your blessings! Name them one by one.” We count and remember our blessings by quieting our hearts. This quieting is deeper than just asking God for Bread once, it’s daily: Give us, this day, our daily bread.

Giving thanks with a grateful heart is a daily ask, which roots itself in a heart grateful for bread beyond the flour or flour bin. A grateful heart recalls the time the bread was kneaded and put into the oven. A grateful heart celebrates the field in which the grain grew. A grateful heart appreciates the farmer who planted the grain. A grateful heart thanks the Lord who watered the field for the grain to be nourished. When we think this way, we fully appreciate and are grateful for our daily bread, each day.

So when you hear and say “Give thanks”, do so with a grateful heart!

Grateful,

Pastor Kevin "Pk"