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FOCUS VERSE: “Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his faithful love endures forever.” —Psalm 106:1b

PRAYER OF PRESENCE:

Holy and abiding God,
In this sacred moment, we turn our attention to You.
Still the noise around us and within us,
That we might hear Your gentle whisper of grace.
Open our eyes to Your light,
Our hearts to Your love,
And our souls to the peace that only You can give.
Meet us here, O Lord, as we offer ourselves fully to Your presence,
Trusting in Your steadfast care and boundless mercy.
With gratitude and hope, we are here—present with You. Amen.

SCRIPTURE:  Psalm 106:1-12

HYMN FOR REFLECTION:
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egdryfqHfLY 

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788

  1. O for a thousand tongues to sing
    my great Redeemer's praise,
    the glories of my God and King,
    the triumphs of his grace!

  2. My gracious Master and my God,
    assist me to proclaim,
    to spread through all the earth abroad
    the honors of thy name.

  3. Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
    that bids our sorrows cease;
    'tis music in the sinner's ears,
    'tis life, and health, and peace.

  4. He breaks the power of canceled sin,
    he sets the prisoner free;
    his blood can make the foulest clean;
    his blood availed for me.

  5. He speaks, and listening to his voice,
    new life the dead receive;
    the mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
    the humble poor believe.

  6. Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
    your loosened tongues employ;
    ye blind, behold your Savior come,
    and leap, ye lame, for joy.

  7. In Christ, your head, you then shall know,
    shall feel your sins forgiven;
    anticipate your heaven below,
    and own that love is heaven.

REFLECTION:

As I read the Scriptures, I can’t help but be convinced that God is in the business of liberation. From Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden onward, God’s relationship with humanity seems to revolve around breaking down the barriers that prevent us from fully giving ourselves to the One who created us.

And yet, humanity often falls into a predictable cycle: sinfulness, abandonment, suffering, repentance, forgiveness, and freedom—only to repeat the same story again. However, during those sacred moments when creation emerges from peril and lives into faithful relationship with the Divine, we can witness the unique sense of gratitude and thanksgiving people have to offer God.

By the time the psalms were written, Israel had already developed a rich and complex history with God. They had experienced God’s steadfast love, boundless grace, and unshakable faithfulness. Psalm 106 reminds us not only of the times when Israel failed to trust God but also of the countless moments when God’s mercy triumphed over their failures.

The psalmist opens this psalm with a call to praise: “Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” (v. 1).

In this call, we are invited to reflect on the ways God has acted powerfully in history—not just for the people of Israel, but for all who place their trust in God’s enduring love. This is a God who liberates, saves, and sustains.

Each of us, I imagine, has a story that testifies to God’s saving grace in our lives. Perhaps it is a story of deliverance from danger, a story of healing, a story of renewed strength, or a story of hope. These stories remind us—and those we share them with—that God is ever-present, offering grace and steadfast love in our times of need.

The hymn O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing echoes this call to praise. Charles Wesley’s words declare the victorious grace of God—a grace that frees prisoners, cleanses the unclean, and breathes new life into the weary.

Both Psalm 106 and Wesley’s hymn remind us that God’s story of salvation is ongoing. It is a story of liberation, forgiveness, and steadfast love that invites us to respond with lives shaped by gratitude and faithfulness.

May we not only remember God’s mighty acts but allow them to transform our lives today, inspiring us to sing with every tongue:

“My great Redeemer’s praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace!”

CLOSING PRAYER:

Look upon us, O Lord,
and let all the darkness of our souls
vanish before the beams of thy brightness.
Fill us with holy love,
and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom.
All our desire is known unto thee.
Therefore, perfect what thou hast begun,
and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.
We seek thy face;
turn thy face unto us, and show us thy glory.
Then shall our longing be satisfied,
and our peace shall be perfect.

—Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 12 - 17 (Sun - Sat)

Praise: Celebrations of God’s Presence in Prayer

What was begun anew at Christmas with the birth of Christ stays with us in this new year. With God’s presence and guidance we have much to celebrate and be thankful. So, take a moment to actively lift up in your prayers the God we love and adore just as we did when celebrating his birth at Christmas. In fact, consider the celebratory nature of the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the awe and wonder of God at work in creation. God truly provides all we need in body, heart, and mind with a greatness that far exceeds anything we can imagine. 

Glory to God in the highest! May we all see God’s handywork and lift words of praise. Amen.
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