Thoughts for the Day

A Call to Worship

O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Yesterday we looked at why, and how, we thank God, and today we look at the benefits of being thankful to God, using the words of the Venite (Psalm 95) to inspire us.

• Being thankful to God brings us closer to Him: "O come, let us sing unto the Lord!"
• Being thankful to God reminds us of how much we need His help: "We are .... the sheep of his hand". As a shepherd cares for his sheep so God cares for us.
• Being thankful to God keeps us positive: "Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise". It's hard to be negative when you're singing songs of joy!
• Being thankful to God keeps us humble: "O come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!" Bending down physically or spiritually before God reminds us exactly who He is and how honoured we are that He guides us.

Coming before God with a thankful heart can bring us peace. As we praise and thank God the self-centred thoughts slip away, and we find ourselves accepting His peace. I know I can't sing the Venite or other hymns of praise without feeling at peace by the end.

Lord God,
as we come to You in thankfulness
we are grateful that it brings us closer to You,
and it reminds us that You are the Shepherd
who guides and teaches us.
As we sing our song of joy
we offer You ourselves -
our hearts and souls -
our minds and bodies
in humble adoration.
Amen.