“Thank you, God, for the food we eat;
Thank you, God, for the people we meet.
Thank you, God, for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything!”

Those words hung in my parents’ home, and to this day I still find that simple poem a great reminder to give thanks to God — not only on Thanksgiving Day, but every day.

Thank You, God, For The Food We Eat

Thank you, God, for the food we eat

St. Paul writes Colossians 1:3,

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you

And he repeats that same thought throughout all his letters. Giving thanks to God is a daily activity for God’s people. This poem reminds us to thank God for the food we eat — our “daily bread” — which includes everything we need to sustain our lives.

Thank You, God, For The People We Meet

To thank God for the people we meet includes neighbors, friends, and family. It also includes our coworkers. At Lutheran Family Service, we have people dedicated to creating families through the adoption program. We have people who care for families by providing counseling services to those struggling in their lives. We have presenters and leaders who give their time to help churches care for their people. And we have people working behind the scenes—answering phones, completing paperwork, and doing hundreds of other tasks—so others can focus on the families in need.

Thank You, God, For The Birds That Sing

To thank God “for the birds that sing” reminds us to give thanks for the small joys in life that God places all around us.

Thank You, God, For Everything!

To thank God for everything includes thanking Him for the countless joys of life, but also for the “junk” in life. It’s easy to thank God when life is going well, but how can we thank God when times are tough?

We are sinful people living in a sinful world filled with suffering, sickness, and the sting of death. But even when times are tough, we can give thanks because God has given us Jesus as our Savior. Instead of facing a hopeless future, we live each day knowing we have a Savior who has conquered sin, Satan, and the sting of death. Because Jesus lives, we too shall have a life that will never end. This is God’s promise to all who trust in Jesus (John 3:16). And that promise gives us every reason to give thanks to God now and forever.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You are the author and giver of all good gifts. We give thanks to You for the blessings of food and drink. May we at Lutheran Family Service continue to use Your gifts, both small and large, to serve the people we meet. Most of all, we give You thanks for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, who is with us always. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

If you or someone you know would benefit from Christ-centered mental health counseling, refer to or contact us today.

• Call: 515-573-3138
• Email: [email protected]
• Web Form: http://lutheranfamilyservice.org/contact/

Lutheran Family Service walks with those experiencing difficult times through mental health counseling, marriage counseling, crisis pregnancy counseling, and adoption services.