Bless the Lord, O my soul ... forget not all his benefits ... who forgives ... who heals ... who redeems ... who crowns ... who satisfies ...

Psalm 103:1-5

The sainted Lutheran pastor and beloved hymn-writer, Jaroslav Vajda, loved to tell stories from his early years in ministry. One favorite was the first Thanksgiving he and Louise celebrated together. They didn’t have much, but they had more than the single parent family who lived two doors away. After services on Thanksgiving Day, they filled two bags with groceries and headed to their neighbor’s porch. They rang the bell. “Who is it?” a voice from the inside called out. “It’s Pastor Vajda and his wife, Louise.” “What do you want?” “We have a couple of bags of groceries for you.” “Just leave them by the door!” How easy it is to take for granted the gracious gestures of others and especially those of our Heavenly Father. Forget not all his benefits!

Barry Bobb
Carmel, IN

Lord, help me always to remember your daily and eternal blessings. Amen.

Reflect: Keep God’s benefits foremost in your mind. Make a list!

Read: Psalm 103 and 2 Corinthians 9:15