Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. I know I enjoyed some turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Over the weekend I was thinking about thankfulness. I think it is an area we all need to work on.
We tend to focus on what we need not what we have. Recently at the retreat in Paisley I was convicted of this, so I asked the group: “How many of your programs are in need of staff?” Almost every hand shot up quickly. Then I asked: “How many of your programs have had a new staff member join in the last six months?” About half the hands went up. Everywhere I go I hear the prayer request that we need more staff. I don’t think I have ever been in a meeting where I was asked to thank God for a new staff member that just started. Every staff member of Christian Horizons is an answer to prayer.
We spend way more time asking God for things than we do thanking Him for the things
He has given. This weekend I tried to only thank God when I prayed. It was difficult. I would not prescribe it as a habit since it is very different from the way Jesus taught us to pray but maybe try it once. Pick a prayer time and only thank. Count your blessings.
Mark Wallace
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. I know I enjoyed some turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Over the weekend I was thinking about thankfulness. I think it is an area we all need to work on.
We tend to focus on what we need not what we have. Recently at the retreat in Paisley I was convicted of this, so I asked the group: “How many of your programs are in need of staff?” Almost every hand shot up quickly. Then I asked: “How many of your programs have had a new staff member join in the last six months?” About half the hands went up. Everywhere I go I hear the prayer request that we need more staff. I don’t think I have ever been in a meeting where I was asked to thank God for a new staff member that just started. Every staff member of Christian Horizons is an answer to prayer.
We spend way more time asking God for things than we do thanking Him for the things
He has given. This weekend I tried to only thank God when I prayed. It was difficult. I would not prescribe it as a habit since it is very different from the way Jesus taught us to pray but maybe try it once. Pick a prayer time and only thank. Count your blessings.
Mark Wallace
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