Daily Devotional

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  – Colossians 3:15-16

I leave my house early every Sunday morning. It is dark and there are very few cars on the road. Before I leave my driveway, I turn on my worship playlist and begin singing songs of praise to God as I prepare myself for worship that morning. Sometimes, I sing all the way to the church. Sometimes, I turn off the music and spend time in praying… I am glad it is dark or other drivers might just think I am crazy.

That time in the car is so important to me as I prepare to encounter God in worship…

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.

“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” -1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

My mother grew up in a small community in southwest Oklahoma. She shared with me several great stories of her time in this little farming town. It was easy to tell that, although her childhood was not filled with material things, it was a full life, surrounded by family and friends. My mom’s childhood was not always easy, but she saw much of it as a blessing.

One story that my mom often shared with me was about my grandmother’s determination to care for her family. After the untimely death of my grandfather, my grandmother would go to work to care for her children. My grandmother was left with five young children to care for and little resources to do so. My mom said that my grandmother planted a garden in every available spot around town. She worked her gardens and canned her harvest to feed her family…

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so, I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” – Psalm 28:7

It was in 2016 that a text message to a wrong number started something special. Jamal Hinton received a text message from Wanda Dench. Wanda wanted to make sure her grandson knew he was invited to a Thanksgiving dinner at her house. Jamal, who was a teenager at the time, was surprised that his grandma had learned to text. He asked for a photo to prove it was his grandma. Wanda sent a photo and Jamal knew it was not his grandma. Wanda had texted the wrong person. Jamal replied, “Can I still get a plate tho?”

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” -Romans 12:1

The holiday season has arrived. This week is Thanksgiving. In just a few short weeks we will be celebrating Christmas and welcoming in the New Year. There is so much that comes with the holiday season. Our calendars quickly fill up. To properly celebrate these special days, we often take time to prepare. We invite guests to our house. We shop for all the necessary food. We clean our houses and decorate. All this must be done, long before we celebrate.

When I think about preparing for the holidays, I think about my mom…

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever!

Let Israel say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”

I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it. 
Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
    O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
    and he has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
    up to the horns of the altar. 

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God, I will extol you.

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

Praise the Lord, all you nations;
    extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord.

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.” – Psalm 9:1

The Psalms were written for several occasions. Some were songs written to express the deepest of emotions such as fear, worry, shame, and joy. Others were written to help the faithful worship God. Psalm 9 was written to express thanksgiving to God. This Psalm is written to express praise to a God who has done marvelous things for God’s children.

Psalm 9 was written by David. It was appropriate for David to express his gratitude to God. David was the youngest child of a family who did not have great political power. In ancient Israel, the youngest son had little to no authority, power, or responsibility. When we first meet David, he has been taking care of the sheep… not really a glamorous job…

“…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 Jr. is a musician and song writer. He has written hundreds of hymns. Of the many songs that he has written, his most popular and most widely published work is the song, “Give Thanks.” Most hymnals, published today, will contain this song. It is simple and powerful.

The lyrics to the song, “Give Thanks” remind those who sing it to lift their thanksgiving to God…