SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS

Giving thanks to God many times throughout the day grows our love for Him into new buds of faith and courage.

At the beginning of this year, the daily practice of thanking God before, during, and after events of the day came to mind. This idea is informed by Brother Lawrence in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. (Baker Books, 1989)

Brother Lawrence suggests that we can become closer to God by inviting Him into everyday moments as we continually converse with Him.

Choosing to thank Him before, during, and after daily tasks and events in love puts this into a useful format for practicing.

The love for God, in our hearts already, grows by speaking our gratitude in love.

Imagine going to a meeting whether personal or professional.

As you drive, you thank God. You express gratefulness that you have a car to drive, there is gas in the tank (not a small measure these days!), and that the roads are clear.

In the meeting, you thank him for the opportunity of getting together, for learning something new, and for being given useful advice.

After the meeting, you thank him that the meeting went well. If it doesn’t, you might express gratitude that now you are clearer about your next step.

As we invite Him into our daily moments through gratitude, we are reminded how many times His hand makes a way in our lives.

Our faith and trust grow as we recall the many times he answers our prayers, and our faith and trust in Him grow.

Our constant connection through gratitude with love increases our willingness to turn over concerns to God in prayer.

In our practice, we become more aware that we truly are not alone and our courage grows.

We understand more deeply that He is near.