Intentional Thanksgiving
Father we thank you for the life...
When you were taught the way to pray in your children church or your CRS class in school, you were told to always start your prayers by thanking God for the good he has done for you. It all made sense to you that time because one ought to say thank you after receiving gifts before one proceeds to ask for more.
As a result of this early teaching firmly rooted in our Lord's prayer, you always say the words of thanksgiving before make your request. Typically, you thank God for life with the living and health. You may include praises and worship to acknowledge God's greatness and power before you continue.
Moving forward, you have made it a routine that you are no longer intentional about your prayers of thanksgiving. You say the words, not because you mean them, but out of a habit built over the years. You have memorised these words so you do not need so much thought to say them. Recently, you just say the words as quickly as you can so you get on to "the prayer proper." Your regular words of thanksgiving has become a prologue to the real prayer.
You behave the same way with the prayer of thanksgiving you make before every meal. If you are lucky not to be part of the crazy mathematically gluttonous Christians who pray "Plus Jesus, minus Satan" before their meal, you might be part of those who have a readymade prayer since their childhood. You are no longer grateful for the meals, you just say the regular words to get you to the eating part.
To help you understand this better, try to remember a time when you were famished and had no hope of eating anytime soon, then a meal was miraculously provided for you. Do you remember how you thanked God for that food? Even if you recited your readymade prayer for that meal, you know that you meant every word.
That is the way you should offer your thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is not less a prayer to God. It should be important as the request in your heart. Say the words of adoration to God and mean it. Call God sweet names as long as it comes from your heart. That is the thanksgiving, praise and worship that God desires and accepts.
Will you be more intentional about your prayers of thanksgiving from today?
I'm hoping you will.