November 27th, 2024
by Jacob Hess
by Jacob Hess
The Generous God
A growing body of research is showing that an increase in the practice of gratitude not only boosts one’s sense of gratitude, but can strengthen feelings of well-being, increase resilience, bolster positive memory recall, and even increase physical health. Practices as simple as keeping a list of things you’re thankful for each day or writing a gratitude letter, if done regularly over a long period of time, can help you see the world in a whole new way. In fact, it can help you see life the way God always meant us to. The Bible portrays God as good and generous. In the book of Genesis, God made all things not to get, but to freely and generously give. And Psalm 104 tells us that this Good Giver is still giving by continually sustaining His creation:
“You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers,” (v14-18).
Over and above all this, as followers of Jesus, we have so much more to be grateful for. Not only is God our Creator and Sustainer, but He’s our Savior too! All we have we owe to Him. As we practice gratitude we begin to see that there truly is enough because God is enough. It’s because of His great generosity that we can be generous!
A Prayer of Gratitude
In light of our generous God, and the upcoming mandatory day of gratitude that is Thanksgiving, I thought I would share with you a prayer that may help you practice gratitude. Maybe you could pray this alone in your devotional time or even over the Thanksgiving meal with gathered friends and family. Or you could pray it even now. However you practice the prayer, may the gratitude of this Thanksgiving season stretch beyond one day or one. May we be a people always marked by gratitude for we follow a generous God.
Gracious God,
your heart abounds with goodness,
and your hand pours out abundance.
I (We) praise you for the continuous cycle
of seedtime and harvest
and the order of nature.
I (We) bless you for the beauty of autumn
and its generous yield.
I (We) thank you that you are mindful of us
and supply our needs.
Above all things, I (we) give thanks for our hope in Christ,
the life of freedom that will ultimately be for all who know and love Him.
Teach me (us) to cherish all your gifts.
Teach me (us) also to use all these resources
for the good of society and for glory to you.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.
(prayer adapted from liturgies in The Worship Sourcebook)
A growing body of research is showing that an increase in the practice of gratitude not only boosts one’s sense of gratitude, but can strengthen feelings of well-being, increase resilience, bolster positive memory recall, and even increase physical health. Practices as simple as keeping a list of things you’re thankful for each day or writing a gratitude letter, if done regularly over a long period of time, can help you see the world in a whole new way. In fact, it can help you see life the way God always meant us to. The Bible portrays God as good and generous. In the book of Genesis, God made all things not to get, but to freely and generously give. And Psalm 104 tells us that this Good Giver is still giving by continually sustaining His creation:
“You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers,” (v14-18).
Over and above all this, as followers of Jesus, we have so much more to be grateful for. Not only is God our Creator and Sustainer, but He’s our Savior too! All we have we owe to Him. As we practice gratitude we begin to see that there truly is enough because God is enough. It’s because of His great generosity that we can be generous!
A Prayer of Gratitude
In light of our generous God, and the upcoming mandatory day of gratitude that is Thanksgiving, I thought I would share with you a prayer that may help you practice gratitude. Maybe you could pray this alone in your devotional time or even over the Thanksgiving meal with gathered friends and family. Or you could pray it even now. However you practice the prayer, may the gratitude of this Thanksgiving season stretch beyond one day or one. May we be a people always marked by gratitude for we follow a generous God.
Gracious God,
your heart abounds with goodness,
and your hand pours out abundance.
I (We) praise you for the continuous cycle
of seedtime and harvest
and the order of nature.
I (We) bless you for the beauty of autumn
and its generous yield.
I (We) thank you that you are mindful of us
and supply our needs.
Above all things, I (we) give thanks for our hope in Christ,
the life of freedom that will ultimately be for all who know and love Him.
Teach me (us) to cherish all your gifts.
Teach me (us) also to use all these resources
for the good of society and for glory to you.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.
(prayer adapted from liturgies in The Worship Sourcebook)
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