Giving Thanks: And We Matter to God

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let’s take time to reflect in between early shopping,volunteering at the soup kitchen,watching football or second helpings- and let’s notice evidences of God’s awesomeness.

Here’s an ancient Song of Praise and Thanksgiving that we can still “sing” today:

O Eternal, our Lord, Your majestic name is heard throughout the earth;Your magnificent glory shines far above the skies.

From the mouths and souls of infants and toddlers, the most innocent, You have decreed power to stop Your adversaries and quash those who seek revenge.

When I gaze to the skies and meditate on Your creation— on the moon, stars, and all You have made,

I can’t help but wonder why You care about mortals— sons and daughters of men— specks of dust floating about the cosmos.

But You placed the son of man just beneath God and honored him like royalty, crowning him with glory and honor.

You ordained him to govern the works of Your hands, to nurture the offspring of Your divine imagination; You placed everything on earth beneath his feet:

All kinds of domesticated animals, even the wild animals in the fields and forests,

The birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, all the multitudes of living things that travel the currents of the oceans.

O Eternal, our Lord, Your majestic name is heard throughout the earth.

~King David, Psalm 8 1

You matter to God. What other encouraging message(s) do you see in this Psalm?

Praying for one another using a Prayerscript

Distribute a prayerscript or a pre-written prayer guide to help focus your time  together. It is also a way to help those who are not  comfortable or as experienced with praying out loud for another person.

“Loving  God,   Bless  _______.  May  (he/she)  enter  Your   Presence  with  joy.  You  alone  are  God.  You   made  _______and  (he/she)  is  yours.  We  are   yours!  And  You  love  us.  Fill  ______’s  heart  with   hope  in  You  and  may  (he/she)  experience  Your   goodness  today  and  forevermore.  Amen.”

(Based  on  Psalm  100)

Download “A Prayer of Blessing”

 

What kind of tools have worked for you  to help increase participation in your prayer meetings?