Thoughts for the Day

God’s Work in Creation and in History

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures for ever;

who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures for ever....

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I learnt to sing choruses by my mother's treadle sewing machine as she worked on some needlework. For the first six years of my life I was an only child until my parents adopted twins - my lovely brother and sister. I was also a somewhat sickly child, managing to catch whooping cough twice. So between sorting out the button tin and organising the colours of the cottons, I learnt to sing old Moody and Sankey hymns, as well as spirituals and the odd musical hall song from my Baptist mother. After 70 odd years I can only remember a few of the latter, one of them being the song she sang when she pushed me on my indoor swing (hanging over the stairs, from the attic) - "Push me over the garden wall" comes to mind. The hymns and spirituals have stayed though - everything from "There were ninety and nine" to "The Old Rugged Cross", and "Count your blessings"

Psalm 136 has the refrain "for his steadfast love endures for ever" after every single line. In the first four verses the psalmist starts by thinking of God's power and might, but then he remembers all that God has done for His people and of how much they owe Him.

Perhaps we can do the same thing today - to start thinking of all the things that God has done for us. He designed and initiated our world; He has treated us like His children; and He sent His Son to rescue us! Well no doubt you can add many other personal things to this list - I certainly can. I would want to add my family, the beauty of the earth, music, friends etc. For as the Psalm says, "His steadfast love endures for ever"! All of which brings me back to that glorious old song: Count your blessings!

Lord God,
we thank You for all Your steadfast love for us,
and for all Your blessings to us Your children.
May we not take all these for granted,
but continually bless You
for Your generosity.
May we seek to do Your will
wherever we see a need,
and endeavour to live a life
as befits Your children.
Amen.