Christ Church Daily Devotion Nov 15 2023

The Daily Devotion for November 15th focuses on living with gratitude. It mentions a book called Thanks a Thousand, where the author thanks everyone involved in making his morning coffee. The psalmist reminds us to give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and enduring love. The devotion encourages us to live with gratitude in our actions and asks us to consider how God may be leading us to do so. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for November 15th, 2023. Today we will be reading from Psalm chapter 106, verse 1. Praise the Lord, O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Our devotionals this week are inviting us to assess with what level of gratitude we live our lives. About a year ago, I heard a radio interview with A.J. Jacobs, the author of Thanks a Thousand, A Gratitude Journey. In his book and interview, he shares his story of thanking every single person involved who helped to create his morning cup of coffee. He described the journey as the gratitude chain, which takes him around the globe. After thanking the barista, his journey took him to South America, to the farmers where the coffee beans are grown, then to the truck drivers who transported the coffee beans. He also traveled to thank the logo designers for the business, and to thank the engineers who designed the cups and the cup lids, and many individuals in between. The psalmist helps us focus our gratitude on these two core reasons, to give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his steadfast love endures forever. Dr. J. Clinton McCann, Jr., in The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary, writes this, The psalmist invites gratitude, faithfulness, and obedience in the present as the prelude to a transformed future. This future is not in the people's willingness or ability to be faithful and obedient, but in God's abundant, compassionate, faithful, and forgiving love. Today's Personal Worship Option Gratitude can be expressed in both words and actions. In these moments, ponder God's goodness and steadfast love to you. How might God be leading you to live with deep gratitude in actions today?