Every Tuesday we engage in one big question, topic or idea. You are invited to write in with a suggestion you want to share. I surely do not have all the answers but know that together we can generate some great conversation and have fun in the process. (Feel free to post your topics, questions, and your great thoughts in the comments below!) Together, we will stay informed and equipped about topics that matter!
Today’s Blog Contributor:
Charity Rattray lives in Ellensburg, Washington, with her husband Jared Rattray and four children. Charity had a profound love encounter with Jesus at the age of 18 and all aspects of her life are fueled from the source, Jesus the Love of God. Charity and Jared founded United By Love, where people of various denominations and religious backgrounds can come together with the common, united mission of sharing the love of Jesus Christ. She serves at Mercer Creek Church happily leading kid’s worship, summer day camp, and various church activities.
Today Charity begins our blog series on prayer with, Prayer of Thanksgiving. Enjoy!
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Currently I am in a café in Paris, and have been on a surprise getaway with my husband. He shocked me as I had no clue we were going any farther than a few hours from home to take a little time for us.
The café is quiet this morning with great food- poppy seed cake, a cappuccino, and a hearty raspberry smoothie hits the spot. Before I eat, I enjoy pausing to give thanks.
Thankful prayers, are such a great way to connect to God. Jesus while living out his humanity, hungered and gave thanks. His dialogue with the Father so simple. He would utter his thanks and dig in. Yet his thanks was so powerful it proceeded the dead to life wonder: Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. (John 11:41 NKJV)
When my children were little they would say prayers and not always know the words. Obie with his blue eyes would look up at me and question how to talk with God. So one night I simply said, “tell Him (God) everything you are thankful for” …ahhhmazzingly he caught that concept. His little hands in prayer his thanks rambling as a child before God.
Thanksgiving prayers can be a wonderfully simple act, over a meal with a young one, after a school day, in a car ride, oh the ease of thanks.
However Jesus shows us thanksgiving redirects our lives in such a powerful way that when we are facing the impossible- a prayer of thanks can shake the ground. You can in the conflict, in the mess, give your Father thanks. Thank him that he hears you. Look around and watch with expectancy for the shift thanksgiving had brought to the circumstance. It may be within you a lightness is felt, or perhaps the same Christ that rose Lazarus up from the grave will fill you with the courage to call out life from death.
Merci Thank you- Father for our lives.
Merci beaucoup
Thank you very much- Father for our loves- family, friends, community, small group, mentors, our dogs, all those who fill our days with joy.
Merci bien
Thanks a lot-for your grace.
Merci mille fois, Mille fois merci
Thanks a million- for your gift of Jesus Christ.
And now your turn:
What do you think?