Eldred Marshall, Artist-in-Residence, Associate Director of Music Ministries
“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
I learned this verse by memory as a kid thanks to two songs.
One was a campfire-type song I only heard sung in my church.
The other was I Will Bless the Lord (1999/2000), a contemporary gospel song by Hezekiah Walker.
Throughout the Bible, we are exhorted to do certain things without ceasing: pray, give thanks and praise to God.
The older I get, the more I realize God tells us to do this not because he’s a megalomaniac, but rather He knows this is healthiest for us.
I don’t know about you, but my mind is singularly focused on the next ‘gig.’
In the busyness of my life, I feel it’s nearly impossible to set aside daily time to tell God “thank you.”
The older I get in this Christian walk, the more I realize this is not biblical – nor is it good for my psyche!
Thanking God daily for his grace and mercy is part and parcel of what it means to live our best Christian lives.
We are to praise God through the good and bad. We’re even told “… having food and clothing, we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:8 NKJV).
Since God says “… My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV), it’s not far-fetched to say thanksgiving should be every day!
As I enter the holiday season and 2020, I plan to start a new habit: to thank God daily for his blessings, great and small; to thank Him for whatever circumstances in which I find myself, good or bad.
I pray that you have a blessed Thanksgiving with your friends and family.
First Reflections 