Thank You, Lord

I've promised an occasional "song without music" for this blog, and today's is in full verse-chorus format. Again, interested composers are welcome to apply.

As mentioned yesterday, when times are hard it can be very difficult for human nature to follow Paul's admonition to "give thanks [to God] in all circumstances" (1 Thess. 5:18, NIV). But many of us are even more likely to neglect regular thanks when life is pleasant--not necessarily because we're ungrateful or dissatisfied, but often because the "good things" have become so regular that we take them for granted. How many of us remember each morning that our homes, our jobs, our families--even each new day of life--are as much God's gifts as are the financial windfalls and miraculous healings?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. When you first wake up, why not spend fifteen minutes listing all the blessings you have to be thankful for? Try keeping it up for a week or a month!

For the beauty of the world around us,
For the gift of our daily bread,
For the Word of eternal Scripture
By which power all our souls are fed:

Thank You, Lord,
For Your endless blessings;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your perfect love;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your rain and sunshine
Flowing down on us from above.

For Your giving us our homes and clothing,
For the ways that You meet our needs,
For the small things we rarely notice,
All the sum of Your loving deeds:

Thank You, Lord,
For Your endless blessings;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your perfect love;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your rain and sunshine
Flowing down on us from above.

Lord, forgive us for our selfish longings:
Lord, forgive when we whine for more;
Help us see we deserve no portion
Of the treasures that on us pour:

Thank You, Lord,
For Your endless blessings;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your perfect love;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your rain and sunshine
Flowing down on us from above.

Thank You, Lord,
For Your endless blessings;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your perfect love;
Thank You, Lord,
For Your rain and sunshine
Flowing down on us from above.