1 Thess 5:17 – Song Dive

The next entry for my Blog is Gratitude, which was written by Benjamin William Hastings, Michael Brandon Lake, and Dante Bowe. It was first published June 3, 2022. A link to Brandon Lake singing the song is at the bottom of the Blog.

All my words fall short
I got nothing new
How could I express
All my gratitude?

I could sing these songs
As I often do
But every song must end
And You never do

So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
‘Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it’s not much
But I’ve nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah

I’ve got one response
I’ve got just one move
With my arm stretched wide
I will worship You

So come on, my soul
Oh, don’t you get shy on me
Lift up your song
‘Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord

Oh come on, my soul
Oh, don’t you get shy on me
Lift up your song
‘Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord

Come on, my soul
Oh, don’t you get shy on me
Lift up your song
‘Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord, hey

Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord

So I throw up my hands
Praise You again and again
‘Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it’s not much
But I’ve nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah

Have you ever been in a situation when you were at a complete loss for words? My guess is that probably all of us have been in that situation. Sometimes we are at a loss of words because of anger, because of the way love has filled our hearts, overcome with grief, or maybe just out of surprise. These writers have expanded the list of reasons we may have for our loss of words, they chose gratitude. As I prepared for this blog entry, I started looking at what gratitude really means. It is more than just offering up a thank you. Gratitude is taking the time to really think about the wonderful things you have in your life. I am so thankful for my spouse and her love, my beautiful loving daughter, my granddaughter, my friends, my health, my travels, and the list goes on and on. As you take time to think about the most important things in your life, do you seem to run out of words to describe your feelings? The writers of this song are talking about that moment when you start to realize that sometimes, words are just not enough. When we reach that point of what else can we say and do to express our gratitude, it is time to open our hearts to God and raise our arms in praise. After a while, maybe our words unintentionally become shallow although that was never our intention; we just run out of things to say and do. As the writer says, every song must end. As there are no more words of gratitude, we just need to open our hearts to God and praise him and thank him over and over again. There is no gift worthy of God our King, but all he wants is our love and our gratitude. From the depths of our hearts, we should be singing to God and praising him. What is expressed from our hearts is stronger than any words we could ever speak. As we raise our arms and sing from our hearts and our lips and sing Hallelujah, we are expressing our true gratitude to God for all he has done for us. It doesn’t sound like much, but all God wants from us is to love him and to love his son Jesus who died for us. God shows his love for us every passing day. He speaks to us in the brilliant sunrise, the glowing sunset, the sparkling oceans, the beautiful flowers, the joy of seeing people healed, and the love that overwhelms us when we accept Jesus as our lord and savior. It doesn’t always take words to express gratitude; it sometimes just takes awareness. In 1 Thess 5:17 we are told to give thanks and rejoice in all things “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Perhaps you are not the best singer, maybe you can’t even carry a tune, and maybe you scare yourself singing in the shower; but God only listens to your words and focuses on your heart. The writer tells his soul that now is not the time to be shy, we are to lift our song and our praises from deep in our heart and soul. Inside of us, we have the power of a lion and that power is always there, we just need to call upon it. The time of expressing our gratitude is every day. The place to express our gratitude is wherever we are. Philippians 4:12-13 tells to rejoice in all things since God is always there for us, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Looking at this verse, how can we not be grateful?

Why not lift your hands right now, call upon the lion inside of you to sing praises to God, and let him feel the gratitude for all he has done for you?

Click to Hear Brandon Lake Sing Gratitude

The next entry for my Blog is Give Thanks, which was written by Henry Smith and was first published in 1978. A link to Janella Salvador singing the song is at the bottom of the Blog.

Give Thanks

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

Give thanks with a grateful heart (with a grateful heart)
Give thanks to the Holy One (to the Holy One)
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

Give thanks with a grateful heart (with a grateful heart)
Give thanks to the Holy One (to the Holy One)
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich (I am rich)
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
Give thanks

Many times, over the course of my life, I find myself asking God for answers and solutions to my needs. I may need help with some issues at home, I may need help with my job, I may be having some family issues, and sometimes it seems as if I am living in quicksand and that every step takes me deeper in the pit. Do you sometimes have these days or periods of time in your life? God is there to hear our requests and to bring us hope and peace. He is there to comfort us as we traverse the challenging path of life. Isn’t it great to have someone such as God to talk to, someone who will listen to us twenty-four hours a day seven days a week?

Think about all of those times God has been there for you; and now think about all of the times you thanked him for what he has done. Did you find out that you do a lot more requesting than you do thanking and praising? A key question for you is, are you having a one-way conversation with God? In other words, are you thanking God every day for the things he has done for you? I believe that most of us spend more time asking God than we do thanking him. This song is reminding us to give thanks everyday for the things God has done or is doing in our lives. We should always be grateful for everything he has done and we should thank him from our heart, not just from our lips. He alone is holy and he alone gave up his only son, Jesus, so that each and every one of us could have eternal life if we accept the sacrifice God made for us.

I have watched young children as they opened presents and witnessed the joy that the present brings. Our hearts should be filled with that same joy and gratefulness as we talk to God every day. It will probably take some time to get in a routine, but try to communicate with God everyday and not only tell him your needs, but thank him for everything you have in your life. In the book 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, we find the following guidance, “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

As you strengthen your relationship and communication with God, you become a much stronger person. With his strength, you are able to overcome anything this life throws your way. We may not have a lot of money, but God will provide all that we need if we follow his guidance and put our trust in him. What can be greater than eternal life with our heavenly father and savior? We will also spend eternity with our friends and family who accepted Christ, what a glorious reunion that will be! You learn that God is always there reaching out his hand to guide you, to pick you up when you fall, and to carry you when you believe you can’t take another step. God promises that he will never abandon us, this scripture is found in the book of Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

As we begin to realize each day how much God has done for us, we become more grateful of his love. We become stronger as we begin to understand that we never stand alone as we fight through life. We become richer because we now understand we have been given the greatest reward ever, eternal life.

Have you thanked God today for all he has done for you?

Click to See Janella Salvador Perform Give Thanks