Service Times:
Sundays at 8:00 am and 10:30 am
Dear Friends in Christ,
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”
- Psalm 100:4-5
These verses scream gratitude. This week is Thanksgiving Day – in addition to acknowledging the historical significance of this day, this is a day to give thanks to the Creator for all the blessings that have been and are bestowed upon us. As Christians, we should always give praise to the Father.
I remember reading the book Prison to Praise by Merlin R. Carothers (1970) years ago. One reviewer on the back cover of the book wrote, “Prison to praise is not about a prison with bars, but a prison of circumstances—and how to be set free.” It was life-changing for me as I realized praising God and expressing gratitude brought new understanding. It also brought to light that I needed to praise God even in the most difficult times.
Joe Thorn takes the idea of praise in a new direction. He suggests we should go further. He asks the question: “Does gratitude characterize your thoughts of God? Thankfulness is a good test of your faith. Its absence demonstrates that your faith is more lip service than experiential knowledge. Your days, whether easy or difficult, should be filled with thanksgiving because while life changes drastically, your God remains the same forever. He is constant—constantly good, loving, and faithful.”
How does gratitude, praise, and saying thanks play out in your life?