NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 11/21

Thanksgiving Day is a week away but it's not too early to begin to recollect all the people and gifts and blessings we're grateful for...

Lord,
    before I bake a pie, stuff a turkey

        or set a table,
I want to take some time to ponder
    all my reasons to be grateful...

Help me remember, by name,
the most important people in my life:
    the people I depend for so many things,
    the people who support me, 

        who comfort and console me,

    and the people who challenge me...

Help me remember, by name,

    the folks who help me make it day to day
    and week by week, 

    and month by month

    and year by year
        - always one day at a time...

 

Help me remember, by name,

    the people who befriend me,

    who cherish, love and care for me...

And help me remember, by name, Lord,

    the folks whom I call my friends,

    the ones I love and care for,

    those whom I cherish as undeserved gifts,

        delivered from your heart to mine...

     

And help me remember, one by one,
all the gifts I have, Lord:
    the gifts of faith and hope and love,
    the gifts of wonder, laughter and tears,
    the gifts of shelter, water and food,
    the gifts of peace and quiet,

    the gift of reading your Word,

    the gift of knowing that I'm your own, 

    and the gift and grace and the peace of prayer...

Help me remember my talents,

    my gifts and my skills, Lord;
        the ones I use day in and day out
        and the ones I hide from my neighbors,

        and the gifts I must learn to share...

Help me remember and be grateful, Lord,

    for what I often take for granted:
        the freedom my nation enjoys,
        the right to speak and write what I think,
        and the opportunity to seek 

            my heart's desire
        and to go wherever you call me...

And help me remember, Lord,

    what I should be grateful for

        but have forgotten over so many years;

help me remember what I take for granted

    and help me give you thanks

        in song, in prayer, in praise...

 

Help me remember all these, Lord, 

    one by one, 

        name by name,

            gift by gift
so that on Thanksgiving Day

   I'll have plenty of reasons 

        to bow my head and whisper,
            "Thank you, Lord my God!"

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

This is an interesting song about gratitude.  I chose this recording for two reasons: first, it's the acoustic version and the simplicity lends itself to the theme; and second, it opens with Brandon Lake's thoughts on gratitude...

 

Gratitude by Brandon Lake 

 

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!

 

 

All my words fall short
I got nothing new
How could I express
All my gratitude?

 

I could sing these songs
As I often do
But every song must end
And You never do

 

So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah

 
And I know it's not much
But I've nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah

 

I've got one response
I've got just one move
With my arms stretched wide
I will worship You

 

So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah

 
And I know it's not much
But I've nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah

 

So come on, my soul
Oh, don't you get shy on me
Lift up your song
'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord

   (repeat)

Praise the Lord  

Praise the Lord 

Praise the Lord

 

So I throw up my hands
Praise You again and again 

With all that I have 

Singing hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it's not much
But I've nothing else fit for my King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah

 

 

Tweet   

SUBSCRIBE HERE!