IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS

Many of us practice the habit of saying “thank you” to God most often during mealtime devotions. Someone once said that the easiest way to get some people to pray is to put a plate of food in front of them. Of course, it's appropriate to thank God for the gifts of food and drink (see John 6:11). But as today's Bible reading reminds us, gratitude is something that should permeate our entire lives. In line with this, 1 Timothy 4:4-5 says, “Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” G. K. Chesterton once commented on the practice of “saying grace” before a meal. He saw that thanking God our Provider before eating our food was good. Then he went on to describe a host of other activities?such as reading and playing?that he would also not participate in until after he had offered a prayer of thanks to God. Perhaps we should “say grace” a lot more often. God has scattered little revelations of his goodness and grace all over his creation. The more aware of these gifts we become, the more grateful we will be. George MacDonald put it this way: “When in all gifts we find him, then in him we shall find all things.”

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for filling your world with so much goodness and beauty. Thank you for sending Jesus, your Son, the greatest gift of all. We pray in his name. Amen.

Peter Hoytema