Gratitude is something that we all understand. From something as simple as someone holding the door for us to those moments in our lives where we feel like we have been saved, thank-you is never far from our lips. As we reflect on the psalm for today, I invite you to look at those blessings in you life, those that you have received from God, as well as those that come to you from neighbours and strangers alike.

Gratitude is a simple thing, and yet it is something that we can easily overlook. We might feel thankful, but how often do we go out of our way to give thanks? In the moment, we rarely forget, but when have we failed to give thanks for things that have come to us over years? The love that comes from a parent, the friends who share our lives, the God who walks beside us in those ordinary days. These are the often forgotten moments and yet they make up huge parts of who we are.

Let us give thanks for all that has blessed us in this life.

Let us pray

Psalm 138:1-3

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;

I bow down towards your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything.

On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.

Generous God, you are the light on our way, indeed you are the way that we walk. We give thanks for your steadfast love, and for all those with whom we share our lives. Every moment, every breath is a blessing, and so in the moment we bow before you. Guide us that we might be a blessing to others in the same way that we have been blessed. This we ask in the strong name of our brother and saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN