Thanksgiving grows faith

‘I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.’ Psalm 69.30

To glorify God is to pay attention to our image of him; to acknowledge him for who he really is and to try to catch a glimpse of him that is far, far greater than our usual image of him.  It is about celebrating not just his intimacy, but also his majesty.

So why is this important?  It’s not simply something we do for God’s benefit – perhaps a means of flattering him which he certainly doesn’t need!  We glorify God for our benefit; to step back from the situations that crowd against us and to see ourselves before his wonder.  The way we can begin to do this, the psalmist suggests, is by thanksgiving; to actively take a few moments to call to mind all that God has done for us.  You might like to start by recalling the blessings that came your way yesterday, or focus on something specific such as the fact that you have been adopted as his child.  You can give thanks for the gift of Jesus, as well as for the very breath that you breathe and the make-up of your body.

The more you can do this, the bigger your picture of God becomes and the more your faith in him increases – and at the same time he is glorified. It’s worth a try!

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