October 21—Gratitude Daily Devotional

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Jeanne Johnson

Dear Lord and Father of all,
Thank you for the parents who guide their children to you,
for the Sunday School teachers who give of themselves
to help the little ones and youth to grow in the
stories and lessons of your constant love.
Thank you for the community of faith
at Kenilworth Union that helps and encourages all of us
to seek to do Your will for our lives
for the betterment of all mankind.

I think that my very first recollection of the love of God was in my three year old Sunday School class at the First Presbyterian Church in Muscatine, Iowa. I can see as clearly in my mind’s eye today that rich green room with the little blonde wooden chairs set in a semi-circle facing a large portrait of Jesus the Good Shepherd. During our little chapel we always sang “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam”. I could still sing all of the verses today.

Growing up in a very musically focused family, this same Good Shepherd motif reappeared many times, especially every Christmas Eve when my mother would sing the contralto part of “He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd” from Handel’s Messiah”.

As a Sunday School teacher myself at Kenilworth Union for many years, how could I ever forget Marlene Bowen’s “This is the Day”? And then one day in chapel Susie Kiphart had everyone learn “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam”. A true blessing in the form of a “blast from the past” for me!

Making a grateful, joyful noise unto the Lord has always been something that I have dearly cherished and for which I will always feel such gratitude. Jesus the Good Shepherd will always see us through all that we face, no matter what.

I cite Psalm 100:

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise! Give thanks to Him and bless his name!

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Let Us Pray:

Dear Lord and Father of all,
Thank you for the parents who guide their children to you,
for the Sunday School teachers who give of themselves
to help the little ones and youth to grow in the
stories and lessons of your constant love.
Thank you for the community of faith
at Kenilworth Union that helps and encourages
all of us to seek to do Your will for our lives
for the betterment of all mankind.
In Jesus the Good Shepherd’s name we pray,
Amen.

Perhaps you can list 2–3 things, people, or aspects
of your life for which you are thankful today.

Be a writer for gratitude: Kenilworth Union Church invites you to become part of a gratitude journey, diverse members within the church will author these devotions. Find out more here.

Posted on October 21, 2020

October 21, 2020

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