Prayer To Keep Us From Drifting From Gratitude To Darkness

We spoke about things we have to be grateful for yesterday grounded in the fact that God's faithful love endures forever, but honestly, the list is so long that we needed to take one more day - and particularly since this is the actual holiday day here in Canada.  But, no matter where in the world You are seeing this and whether it is the season of harvest or the season renewal like those in the southern hemisphere experiencing spring these days, being grateful for the people around us and the things we have is of great value and something worth celebrating. 

Acknowledging small blessings reduces stress and increases joy. No wonder God tells us:

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

As I thought about Thanksgiving this year during the COVID-9 pandemic with second wave of virus infection around us and God's promise of His faithful love for us during it all, the words of the traditional wedding vows came to mind: "to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part ..."  These are some of the strongest vows on the planet and have been so for a very long time.  They are meant to provide security and a place of rest and oneness for the marriage partners for the rest of their lives.  Marriage has always been a picture for us of how God loves us and how we are called to commit ourselves in love to Him. Fortunately for us, death does not end our relationship with God but opens up an even closer face-to-face experience of His love that will last forever.  Now that's all something to be grateful for today.

And so God, we do want to live today so that You, .....

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

As we daily turn our will and life over to Your care, we believe that Your unfailing love and forgiveness will give us the strength we need for the journey ahead.  We're grateful for a path ahead that is one of promise, of great and faithful love, and of consistent presence in whatever we face together.  We're so grateful today that You have loved us and lifted us out of the loneliness and isolation of sin and brought us into the light and joy of being together with You. 

God's Word reminds us today:  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. They knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 

1 Chronicles 16:34

Romans 1:2

Holy Spirit, help us to always refresh the memory and consciously experience  this relationship with the gratitude it so rightly deserves, so we don't drift back into confusion, darkness, and dysfunctional thinking and behaving. 

We want to lift our hearts and steady our minds with the great comfort of Your unfailing love.  Here in Canada on this Thanksgiving Day and around the world, we bring you thanks and praise – even if it is a sacrifice of praise because times are difficult in our circumstances. 

We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord

And we offer unto You our sacrifices of thanksgiving

And we offer unto You our sacrifices of praise.