THANKSGIVING PRAYER

Posted Nov 23, 2012

THANKSGIVING PRAYER DEVOTIONAL

(Submitted by Pastor Glen Aycock)  Back to Admenu

SCRIPTURE: Jonah 2:1-10

1 ¶ Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish.
2 He prayed: "In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to GOD. He answered me. From the belly of the grave I cried, ‘Help!’ You heard my cry.
3 You threw me into ocean’s depths, into a watery grave, with ocean waves, ocean breakers crashing over me.
4 I said, ‘I’ve been thrown away, thrown out, out of your sight. I’ll never again lay eyes on your Holy Temple.’
5 Ocean gripped me by the throat. The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight. My head was all tangled in seaweed
6 at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take root. I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever―yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O GOD, my God!
7 When my life was slipping away, I remembered GOD, and my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your Holy Temple.
8 Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love.
9 But I’m worshiping you, GOD, calling out in thanksgiving! And I’ll do what I promised I’d do! Salvation belongs to GOD!"

“Establishing the Priority of Giving Thanks.”

Jonah almost waited too late to have thanksgiving. He cried out from the belly of a whale. His head straining to stay up out the acidity water which threatened to drown him and seaweed and previous swallowed meals full of turbulence of a roller coaster ride he finally decided to pray to His God. He was in trouble and a watery grave. This was it. His life slipping away he remembered God. His prayer made it through! He was ready to worship. He was ready to keep his promise to God. Most of all he was ready to give Thanks. 

Prayer Thought:  Dear Jesus, help us to prioritize giving thanks to God. Amen.

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