There were more than ten thousand reasons to praise the Lord. This realization hit me hard the other day. I thank the Lord as I’m alone in my sitting room.
It brought tears of joy as I knelt in reflection on the journey of my life. Each twist and turn was a moment of blessing to me.
The thought or line, this much is enough or more than enough of you, my Lord, kept ringing in my mind. I kept whispering to myself. I know I will not be able to express it all here. I wanted to keep more of it with me forever.
In his abiding grace, the Lord God (YHWH, Adonai, Kurious) rerouted my life even though I have gone offside from his standard.
Although not enjoyable, all the experiences were the dreams I wanted to go through in my youth. Since the young minds in my youth were ready to taste the world.
These include importing knowledge, serving others, relying only on the words of God, to the degrees I have learned with my grandfather while working in the hills.
The date of my resignation from my former banking job, some years ago, is approaching. You might have read about my experience then. This year, although it took me many good years to finally let go of my resignation from a job, as there’s no help from humans, I can finally thank God on this date.
Jobs, especially permanent and pensionable, were scarce in my country. Thus, I have the habit of talking about it again and again. It is for survival. I am glad the Lord has provided for us well.
It was primarily the reason for my enrolling in a university. And securing a job was considered as securing a place in the society as some form of an elite class, which has often spread to the church community.
Most often, the memories of my days in the office flashed before me, the life before and after the job. Not all memories were the best times of my life. It is my contentment that matters to me. Without God, there’s no real joy in living.
Working from home with no title, with my failing health condition, often pressed down by my chronic neurological disorder, left me feeling marginalized. I wanted to fly again, too! Yet the Lord is so good to me. By being apologetic, we’re often mistaken as weak, and this time, I believe I owe no explanation to anyone who doesn’t want to understand.
Now, this I know –
“The unfailing love of the lord God is better than life itself! Thus, I praise him! I thank thee, Lord!” Psalms. 63:3
I thank the Lord for everything I have been through with him. For without the Lord God, I don’t believe I’d still be writing this piece. My poor memories had gone back to the bygone years, counting the goodness of the Lord. It reminded me of how I did not give thanks to the Lord through all the experiences he led me through.
I’m just a sinner, a sinner all along saved by his abiding grace. In the darkness of life, he is my only ray of hope with a very bright light in the darkness of the world.
Thank you, Lord:
For all the roads we walked
All the places we’ve been
For not leaving me behind
Even when I see no hope
I thank you, Lord!
For all the experiences
Shaping my heart for you
All the bitter and sweet times
You let me know more
I thank you, Lord
For all the whispered love
All the words in my dreams
And the revelations of you
For your love and care
I thank thee, Lord
For you are slow to anger
Full of grace, and my anchor
For your renewed compassion.
Great is your faithfulness
I thank thee, Lord!
For the new sun in the morning
And the hope of the light dawning
Lighting up my heart that’s dimming
For the new bright rays of your love
Taking good care of me at all times
Thank you, Lord!
For the days of busy as a buzzing bee
To nest at home as a bird in a tree
For the fear of closing my eyes at night
To a peaceful sleep in the wake of the day
I thank thee, Lord!
For the chronic pain I’ve been through
To the nonchalant reminder of your love.
For the times hemmed in by the desert
To find joy in the walks of life.
I thank thee, Lord!
I praise you; it’s all because of you.
You have sustained my frailing heart.
Even when all my hope is gone.
I am safe in your wings.
I thank you, Lord!
Thank you for the journey of life:
Tossed around in my relatives’ places due to lack of funds and for mediation, studying hard to get a good education, and to become a primary teacher at a young age.
Again, leaving our home for a metropolitan city for higher education. A weak health amid my studies, and to find a good wife in the time ordained by God.
Then, in the corporate world, in the public sector, achieving is for a person who comes from a lower economic stratum of society, as defined by mankind.
Giving thanks to the Lord:
However, these experiences were precious to me as they pointed me more to the Lord God. Without God, I would be reduced to nothing.
I got to know the presence of God first-hand in my good and bad times, loneliness, and happiness. I have also experienced supernatural or divine occurrences in my journey of life.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thess. 5:18
I am reminded of the abiding grace of God through all the experiences of loss and grief, in the fumigated room of the hospital.
Sometimes, my hospital stays were filled with pain, losing consciousness, but also often the word of God was revealed in my dreams even when my mind seemed not to be working properly.
Give thanks:
There are psalms of praise, giving thanks to the Lord, many times, in the scripture. For instance, when the Dead Sea was parted, the song of Moses and Miriam, from the Psalms of David to the Songs of Mary.
Today, Psalms 107 resonated well with my heart.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
He lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. Let the wise one heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Thank you, Lord, for everything!
#thankyoulord
