With Grateful Praise

These past few weeks have reminded me just how much I truly do have to be thankful for, and it was such a blessing to have our midweek service dedicated to praising the Lord. Testimony after testimony of God's wonderful goodness were shared, and it was a delight to come before the Lord as one heart in gratitude.

We also lifted up our voices in song, and one hymn that we recently sang really caught my attention. Written in 1864, with a tune composed in 1838, these words of sincere praise bid its readers to raise their hearts in thanksgiving. While I contemplated the words, my heart was indeed stirred with gratitude for the many things that are listed that I so dear to me. And maybe that was part of what caught my attention - the things I have been thanking the Lord for were right there in a song so sweet I could raise my voice in prayer.

For the Beauty of the Earth

Folliot S. Pierpoint

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth over and around us lies;

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child;

Friends on earth and friends above; for all gentle thoughts and mild:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thy Church that evermore lifteth holy hands above,

Offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thyself, best gift divine, to our race so freely given:

For that great, great love of Thine, peace on earth and joy in heaven:

Lord of All, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. Psalm 147:1

Happy Thanksgiving!