Sunday, May 6, 2012

GIVE GLORY AND THANKS (05-06-12)

Psalms 115:1
Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your mercy, because of your truth.

This last week I've had some challenges in my both personal and work lives.  And I can only turn to prayer to banish all those problems, difficulties and seek strength to face the challenges ahead.

Praying with gratitude has increased my faith.  Focusing on the "thanks" part of prayer has helped me to feel that I am really talking with God.  Instead of just listing thanks for this or that, I've realized that I am thanking Heavenly Father for His role in the things for which I am thankful.  This has caused me to think about what His roles have really been in each of those things. 

I think that praying with more gratitude has helped me to be better at not focusing on those things.  I can thank Him for doing whatever He has needed to do all these years to keep us relatively safe, and that reminds me that He does that for a reason, and that I need to make that work worthwhile by helping to build His kingdom. 

St. Paul always begin with either thanksgiving or with praise to God. His prayer life clearly demonstrated a God-dependent attitude and a perspective that formed the foundation and source of the apostle’s ministry for the Gentiles. 

We really do have so many things and people for which we can give thanks, do you not agree?  We are blessed in so many ways, and it is only right that we express our thanks to God for those blessings.  Paul’s example of gratitude is one that we would all do well to emulate. 

Let us pray +  

Almighty Father, blessed are we, because we have known You!  Blessed are we, because we have believed in You!  Blessed are we, because we bear Your wounds and the sign of Your Blood on our contenances!  Blessed are we, because You are our great hope!  Blessed are we, because You are our God forever!  Amen +

Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.

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