Much is written in the Bible about giving thanks to God. There are at least 20 verses in Psalms alone addressing the topic. Five of them are in chapter 107. The first section of this psalm (107:1-32) reads like a song with a single verse acting as a refrain. Verses 8, 15, 21, and 31 are all exactly the same: Let them give thanks to Adonai (the LORD) for His grace, for His wonders bestowed on humanity! (CJB)

The world is full of physical wonder reflecting our Creator. In Romans 1:20, the apostle Paul wrote that the universe is filled with His invisible qualities – both His eternal power and His divine nature. We can see these things and patterns, but they are beyond our capability to understand and beyond our power to create. Paul continued in verse 21 with “those who know who God become futile in their thinking and undiscerning in their hearts when they don’t glorify God and thank Him.”

Thanking God is an important part of our relationship with Him and vital for our own healthy minds and hearts. Not doing so leaves Him out of my thoughts and dims my heart to see reality.

In Psalm 107, the psalmist focuses on something more personal – God’s wonders bestowed on humanity, starting with His grace.  God’s grace is a gift the Eternal One freely offers us, a gift beyond our capability to understand and beyond our power to create. Various translations express grace in different ways –  faithful love, unfailing love, goodness, great love, lovingkindness, steadfast love, loyal love, kindness, mercy.

Grace is an invitation to a heart connection with the Giver. It is a gift I can reject. It is a gift I can accept and quickly move past, looking for more good gifts offered. But when I hear the sigh of the Father’s heart in these 4 verses, I hear the opportunity to humbly accept His gift, turn my eyes to His face, and thank Him with outstretched arms for the wonder of His grace and that He bestowed it on me, a tiny little part of all humanity.

Heavenly Father, I don’t deserve Your grace, Your love for me, Your goodness to me, Your kindness. Yet you extend it anyway. Give me a thankful heart that doesn’t take Your love for granted and doesn’t take the credit for Your work and keep it for myself or give it to another.