Remembering God’s Kindness

“Who can tell all the great things He has done? Who can praise Him enough?”
Psalm 106:2 (TEV)

When the Psalmist penned Psalm 106 to the nation of Israel, he asked a great question in verse two: “Who can tell all the great things He (God) has done? Who can praise Him enough?” Psalm 106:2 (TEV) As we personalize this Psalm in our own lives, we can’t help but be challenged by this question. How often do I fail to remember God’s kindness in my life?  How often do I forget to praise Him?

Pause for just a moment as you read this and consider some of the great things God has done for you, His acts of kindness to you. What if we began every day like that? What if before we presented our petitions to God, we simply praised Him for all He has done for us? Just three chapters before Psalm 106, King David wrote this in His prayer journal called the Psalms: “Praise the LORD, my soul! All my being, praise His holy name! Praise the LORD, my soul, and do not forget how kind He is.” Psalm 103:1-2 (TEV)

As I read that, I’m convicted to repent of not only my prayerlessness, but my praise-lessness. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul charges us when we pray to present our request to God with thanksgiving!  Most of us want to wait until we think we have received what we asked for before we give thanks, but the truth is, God has done more for us than we could even dare ask or imagine already!  In our sinfulness and selfishness, we forget how kind He is and has been! So, here’s a challenge for today and the coming days as we walk together through Psalm 106:

            Begin every day and each prayer you pray with thanksgiving and praise!

To do that, we will have to repent of our prayerlessness and praise-lessness.  The interesting thing about the word “repent” in the language of the Bible is that it means to change the way you’re thinking.  The word for “mind” is hidden in that Greek word.  God knows our minds have been affected by the fall and our thinking skewed. To repent, then, simply means to be intentional in deciding to think differently and subject my feelings and thoughts to the truth of what God says in His infallible Word. When I do that, my attitude shifts, and I sense a clarity and confidence I didn’t have before. It’s one of the ways God heals our minds and hearts. Imagine what that change could bring to a nation as you pray today.

Oh God, forgive me for failing to remember Your kindnesses to me every day! I can never praise You enough for all You have done! Turn my petitions into praise and teach me to praise You with all my being!

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Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.