Prayer of Gratitude

"Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. . . . Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people . . . whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing great and awesome things . . . And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever." (from 2 Samuel 7)

I have been dwelling on this passage a lot recently, and I thought it was quite appropriate to share in honor of Thanksgiving. I am overwhelmed when I consciously think about how much I have been given by God: how firm a foundation, how loving a family, how supportive a community, how many opportunities.

Of course, there is one thing I am thankful for that King David couldn't quite spell out:

"Long ago, at many times, and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high . . . We see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." (from Hebrews 1 & 2)

Thank you, Jesus - my lord, my God, my redeemer!