Thanksgiving

“The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Psalm 28:7 NLT

Thanksgiving in the above verse is Strong’s H3034—yadah: to give thanks, laud, praise, to confess, confess (the name of God).

In Colossians 2:7b, the same word, “…abounding in it with thanksgiving” is Strong’s G2169 eucharistia: thankfulness in the broad sense, but more specifically the giving of thanks for God’s blessing.

This Thanksgiving, as we look back on the bounty the Lord has given us over the past year, may our hearts truly abound with thanksgiving.

In our home not only will we gather around the table with extended family thanking God for His love and provision, we will also be celebrating our youngest daughter’s 13th birthday.

I have been writing a daily (or almost daily) journal to her of my hopes, prayers, and dreams for her. The silly things I love about her; how thankful I am for her.

The verse for today is especially meaningful to me, as her name means joyous song. She used to sing all the time, but over the past several years has become self-conscious, letting things peers may have said or even perceptually thought get in the way. I pray she realizes the LORD is her strength and shield. He will protect her. I pray she learns to trust in Him with all her heart—that she would listen to Him and the truth He speaks about her, not anyone else, including her own imaginations.

I pray she truly does know that He will help her through anything, no matter how big or small. I pray her heart is filled with joy as she learns that He is always there to help her. It may not look or feel like she wants it to, but that’s up to Him, not her.

Finally, I pray that she will burst into songs of thanksgiving….praise, confession of the name of God. That she will lift her hands, heart and spirit in full abandon to the LORD as she once so freely did.

I pray we will all do these things. Our heavenly Father is worthy of our praise and our thanksgiving. No matter what the world may look like, He is God; He is our strength and shield. Let’s purpose to trust in Him. He does help us and that certainly ought to fill us with joy.

Father, as we really take time to consider all the amazing things You have done for us this year, may our songs of thanksgiving be heard around this city, county, country and to the ends of the earth. Amen.