I was recently struck by these words that I heard from a friend, “If you were to wake up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday, what would you have?”

Wow. Now that’s something to think about! I think I may have thanked God for the beautiful day (weather wise). And my dinner. And... nope, pretty sure that was it. So today I would have a nice day, and dinner. No breakfast, no lunch, no car to get to work in, no family, no friends, no clothes to wear, no job, no house to live in... I think you get the idea.

When I was in Africa, we visited a pastor’s house. Living in the family home was the pastor and his wife, 3 of their children and their wives, and several grandchildren. It was hot and it was humid. They invited us in to their home and after a short time, one of the sons appeared with cold soft drinks for us as well as some home-made, tasty looking sweets. They didn’t have much, and yet they were so generous with what they had.

In any other circumstance I would have picked the bottle of coke up and taken a sip without thinking - especially considering how hot it was! But before any of us could get that far, the family stopped and thanked God for the provision of these drinks. 

At first I was surprised that they would stop and thank God for something so small. And then it hit me - what a beautiful and close relationship these people have with God! They recognise that everything they have is by the grace of God, and they are thankful.

I often say ‘grace’ at dinner, thanking God for the day and for the food on my plate. But I couldn’t think of the last time I had stopped to thank God for a drink. Or the snack I just ate. Or just the fact that God loves me, a lot. 

This experience in Africa was a real wake-up call for me about what it means to be thankful - for everything.

But I am not saying that you have to stop and thank God for absolutely every little thing that happens, or that you own, or that you eat...but for me, I’m at least going to start thinking about all the things I CAN be thankful for. And when I think of something in particular that I am glad not to do without, I will endeavour to thank God for it. Try it out. You might surprise yourself with how many things there are to be thankful for!

My third and final lesson in prayer: remember to say thanks to God. He blesses you more than you might think.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”- Psalm 100:4

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
- 1 Thessalonians 6:16-18

So I ask you, “If you were to wake up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday, what would you have?”

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