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I heard the song for the first time at a little country church in Smithville, N.Y., a few short miles from where our summer home is located in Henderson Harbor.
It was the first summer following my wife Jean's passing, and I was pretty fragile emotionally.
I still recall how the words and how the music spoke to my heart as I sang it as loud as I could as if to convince me that even in the midst of the pain of my loss, I would still choose to be grateful.
And now whenever I hear that song as I did this past Sunday, I am filled with the same emotion I felt that summer of 2023.
One of my good friends plays on the worship team at a local church, and he invited me to worship there as he often does when he is playing. He knew my history, and he recognized I would be touched by the music, and he was right.
As we stood for the first song, and I saw those words flashed on the screen, I suddenly melted as I realized we were singing "Gratitude."
No matter how many times I play this song at home and I play it often, I find myself overcome with emotion and this time was no different.
As the tears fell, and with hands lifted high in praise and worship, I sang as loud as I could until, overcome with emotion, I had to stop for a moment to wipe away my tears and regain my composure.
I am no singer, but after the service two women in front of me turned and thanked me, expressing how much they appreciated hearing a man sing with such enthusiasm. That was a first for me, for those who know me well recognize I would be one of the last people asked to sing in a choir.
"All my words fall short. I got nothing new. How could I express all my gratitude?"
"I could sing these songs, as I often do, but every song must end, and You never do."
"So, I throw up my hands and praise you again and again. Cause all that I have is a hallelujah, hallelujah."
"And I know it's not much, but I have nothing else fit for a King except for a heart singing hallelujah, hallelujah."
"I've got one response. I've got just one move. With my arm outstretched, I will worship you."
And then when the chorus comes, I shout out at the top of my voice
"So come on, my soul. Oh, don't you get shy on me, lift up your song 'cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord."
And as I sing those words, I am reminded that within me exists the powerful roaring strength of a lion which enables me to express my deepest praise and thanks to God even when my words might fall short.
In a world filled with such division, it's good to be reminded that we still have so many things for which to be grateful.
The gift of gratitude extends beyond ourselves.
In Colossians 3:14-15, the apostle Paul writes to the church: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you are called in one body. And be thankful… and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Many of us have been the recipients of different expressions of kindness and often times those acts may go unnoticed or unacknowledged.
I would encourage you to take time today to thank those who share those gifts of kindness, no matter how small those acts may be.
But don't only be content with being thankful when you are on the receiving end.
Be sure and take the initiative to write or tell one person each day why you are thankful for them. Maybe it's a parent, a child, a coworker, a pastor, a stranger or your spouse. Remember, sometimes it's the people who are closest to us who need to hear it the most.
And by the way, did you know that research has shown that gratitude improves your mood and physical health? But beyond this gratitude is a wonderful way to express our love and worship to our Heavenly Father.
 | Tom Crenshaw serves as Connections Pastor of the New Monmouth Baptist Church (non denominational) where he previously served as a three year interim.He has been married to Jean for almost 50 years, and they have four children, all of whom are teachers.Tom loves perennial gardening, umpiring high school baseball, coaching baseball and football, fishing for small mouth bass, rooting for his favorite team, the Cleveland Indians, and listening to ‘real’ country music, the classic kind. Learn More » |
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