“Lord, I Thank You”

“Lord, I Thank You”

By Dianne Prince

“What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:12-14).

This morning, the Psalmist asks himself, “What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?” (Psalm 116:12). He answers, “I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:13-14). In other words, to thank God, the Psalmist will do what he promised God he would do. He will live the way God says he should live and give his time, energy, and means to advance God’s program.

God does something good for each of us every second of the day. He supplies us with air to breathe, orchestrates the motion of our limbs, regulates our reasoning ability, and protects us as we go out and come in. He shields us from the forces of evil, protects our aging loved ones no matter how near or far they are, looks out for the youngest of our family members as they innocently flirt with danger, and times things just right so we can avoid hazards on dangerous highways.

What can we give back to a God who owns everything? How do we say thank you for all the spiritual and material blessings he has poured into our lives? How do we thank Him for always helping us out of tight spots? In our scripture this morning, the Psalmist gives us three ways to thank God today:

1. Give Him praise when He least expects it. A “thank you” in the middle of an adverse situation will please God and make Him smile.

2. Be a positive witness in the presence of all His people. Onlookers watch what we do, listen to what we say, and observe how we act and react.

3. Go the extra mile to help someone when we do not feel like it.

Today, make an intentional effort to thank God and make Him smile. How? Be a good example, reach out and help someone, and praise your way through negative situations.