“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

All Good Gifts

I have a confession. I struggle with gratitude. Not in the way that you’re thinking, though. I’m really afraid of being ungrateful. Did I forget to thank the Lord that I’m able to tie my shoelaces? Oh, no! I took a bite of food before I said grace!

I think it’s good to strive to be grateful, and I won’t stop. But I also think that God isn’t sitting there with His Heavenly check-off list, going, “Uh-oh, she didn’t thank Me for that green light. First strike of the day!”

Sometimes I like to sing my gratefulness, and I love the song “All Good Gifts,” from the musical, Godspell.*

 We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land…
But it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand…
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain…
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain…

All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above
Then thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all His love…

We thank Thee then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest, our life, our health, our food,
No gifts have we to offer for all Thy love imparts
But that which Thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts!

Father, “thank You” is never enough for all that You do for us. We humbly come before You in gratitude. Thank You for Your Son, our Perfect Gift. Amen.

*Shwartz, Stephen. Tebelak, John Michael. “All Good Gifts.” Godspell. 1971. BMG Rights Management, Carlin America, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.