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Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart

Psalm 136:1
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Growing up in a family with nine children gave all of us opportunities to learn and share with each other. The Thanksgiving holiday was an especially fun time as we prepared our home for a day of celebration.

As we were growing up, my father gave each child an assignment for Thanksgiving Day. As we sat around the dinner table, before we had our common table prayer, our custom was that each child was to say what he or she was thankful for. For weeks, each one of us would read through Bible verses and prayer books, trying to find something special to add to our personal “I am thankful for…..”

Our parents taught us the love of God and to give thanks for all things. Our family was blessed in 1954 with my brother Mark. Mark was born with Down syndrome and brought our family joy, peace and happiness.

As Mark grew up, he too was to say what he was thankful for during our Thanksgiving prayer. Each year, Mark’s prayer was always the same: he thanked God that he was the son of two loving parents; he had a great home to live in; and he had so many brothers and sisters. Mark always gave thanks with a grateful heart. Mark taught all of us to be grateful for all of things.

Psalm 92:1
“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.”

I recently asked the ten adults that attend my weekly special needs ministry Bible class what they would thank God for beginning with the words “I thank God for….” As we went around the room, each person had something different to thank God for. They were thankful for their families, forgiveness of their sins, God guiding them through the day, Jesus, new opportunities to grow, another day of life, having a Bible class to come to each week, their job, their staff, their wheelchair and their friends.

A song comes to my mind that reminds me of God’s gift to us and the many blessings He showers upon us each day:

Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy One;
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.
And now let the weak say “I am strong.”
Let the poor say “I am rich.”
Because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks.
Henry Smith

At the end of class, my students asked me what I was thankful for. In my closing prayer, I thanked God for the fine Christian men and women that attend class each week, for our time together in studying God’s Word, and for their love and friendship. I thank God for them always.

May we all continue to thank and praise God for all He provides for us, and may we have many new joys and blessings to be thankful for in the days ahead.

“How can we thank You enough, Lord, for Your love, care and forgiveness each day of our lives? We can only offer our grateful hearts in obedience to serve You always. May we never stop trying to thank You with our words and deeds. We thank You for our families and friends and for all Your gifts of life. Amen.”