Sorry, Beloved! My week has been super busy with grading papers, and submitting my gradebook. I have been working on a blog post, titled “Popular Opinions” and it requires diligent work, because its lengthy. Stay tuned! I love quality over quantity. This small post I written though, is merely an encouragment, a reminder to help you always be grateful.

Psalms 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”

Thankfulness means to give thanks, an expression of gratitude, an abundance of praise and thanksgiving unto God. Thankfulness means praise this is taken from the Hebrew verb “yada” and what is interesting is that this word was rarely used in the early beginnings of the Bible. Thankfulness did not become more frequent until someone with a heart for God, a heart who saw God began using it more. Thankfulness recurs more and more in the psalms and though the word was not primarily used there were other words in Hebrew, which expressed the same meaning. Words synonymous with thankfulness is “praise.” Praise means to “bless,” “magnify,” “extol,” “exalt,” “glorify,” “thank,” “confess” unto God

It is out of your heart that your thankfulness comes from. Out of your heart pours the praises and worship you sing unto God. Thanksgiving does not come out of nowhere, a thankful person does not have a talent to be grateful. The gratefulness lies in their heart and as Christians our thankfulness unto God should be our living profession. When people see us, they should feel a divine presence in the room.

Additionally, a grateful heart prevents a jealous spirit. Have you given thanks to God today? Have you told Him “thank you for your mercies which are new everyday?” What a wonderful way to end the day by praising God, for giving you the strength to make it through good and bad times. What more can I say, when I struggled to pay rent, God you gave me the provision; when I mourned over my loved ones, Lord you comforted me; when I was stressing from my job or school. Lord you moved the hearts of the people over me, to take mercy on me.

With both my heart, and mouth I shout, “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD.” (Psalms 118:19) Praising God reminds me how much we need God, how much He has done for me and you. It humbles my heart. Reminding me, I am not here because of my actions, but God is faithful. For my sin, my ignorance, my disobedience, does not and cannot separate me from the love the Lord has for you and me, because love and goodness is apart of who You are, Lord. Praise your Holy name Lord God!

Open the gates, and all the earth shall hear praises rise from my lips!

Blessed be God for taking mercy on us.

What are you thankful for?

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