Slideshow image

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ‑יָ אֱ‑לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה בִּדְבָרו:

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, by Whose word all things came to be.*

Blessed Thanksgiving my dear sister!

The command to come before the Lord with thanksgiving is older than written history! For those that revere and honor God, every day is holy as we remember and give thanks to the One from whom all blessings flow!

The prayer printed above is a prayer offered in Jewish tradition before a meal. Actually, there are specific prayers for specific food groups and various laws about the timing of each prayer, but the basic idea is to remind us that: 

  1. It is our Creator who supplies all our sustenance

  2. The earth and all it brings forth belongs to Him

  3. We express our gratitude to Him for providing it for us!

In short, the blessing is all about Him! Not the food, not the work, not the gathering, not the day, but blessing and thanking the One who makes it all possible! Every day! Every time we eat!

The New Testament has many exhortations to have a heart full of thanksgiving toward our Lord.

Giving thanks results in a heart & mind of peace: 

Phil 4:6-7 Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds in Christ Jesus.

Giving thanks results in a heart of gratitude:

Col 3:15-17 Be thankful… with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God! 

Giving thanks results in a joyful spirit:

1 Thes 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

And finally, blessing God and giving  thanks to Him for all things renews in us a sense of trust, reverence and awe:

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

From ancient days, to today and all of our tomorrows, voices will continue to be raised all over the earth in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, our God, King of the universe, for every good gift He gives us each day! Blessed be His Holy Name!

Bless God and tell me how He is blessing YOU today!  

With love, your sister, Celeste