It is good to give thanks to the Lord!
The prayer song of Psalm 92 begins with a reminder of the goodness of the practice of giving thanks to God.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High,
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
As we approach the last week of summer vacation we may feel some sadness. The summer pace, the vacation time that summer brings, the longer days and warmer nights… will soon give way to September routines and the adjustments to life the change in seasons bring. As we make these needed changes I invite us to embrace a posture of giving thanks to the Lord, of singing our praises to our God.
God’s steadfast love and faithfulness is for a lifetime! Our Lord should be praised!
I give thanks and praise to the Lord for providing all we needed during the last few years as we faced a global pandemic and a significant time of leadership transition in our congregational life. Through the gifts, wisdom, creativity, courage, humour and commitment of so many God has been faithful and God has been good! It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord for sustaining and equipping our congregational leaders, and all of us, for faithful ministry and service.
I give thanks and sing praise to the Lord that our worship attendance continues to grow and that it’s possible to come together in-person again to sing, share coffee and conversation time. I give thanks to the Lord for the gift of technology and Zoom that allows those needing to be at home to join in and worship too. I give thanks for God’s comfort and compassion through significant times of grief, struggle and sickness in our lives. I give thanks that God has called Mike, Brandy, Petra and Rebekah to join our church family and minister among us and with us. I give thanks to the Lord for the presence and moving of the Spirit in the conversations and ministry, brainstorming and planning that is happening in anticipation of the fall. I give thanks to God that as pandemic restrictions give way to increasing freedoms (although slower than we would like some days), and as we move into the “new normal” of our lives together, that we can be confident that God’s faithfulness and steadfast love will continue no matter what life may bring.
What calls you to give thanks to the Lord, what compels you to sing praises to God?
As you reflect, and then proclaim your thanks and sing your praise, may you be made glad and may you be filled with joy!
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High!
I invite you to join the chorus of thanks and to enter the song of praise!
Pastor Ray