Rev Hooker’s Bible Study on Unselfish Prayer Part 1 of 2 Session 4—Good to Give Thanks: Psalm 92 and 1 Thessalonians 5

Part 1 of 2 Session 4—Good to Give Thanks: Psalm 92 and 1 Thessalonians 5 A. Response to God’s Steadfast Love and Faithfulness  B. Being Thankful People in a Thankless Culture “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High,” (Ps 92:1-5a). The psalmist confirmed a reality that has not changed: giving thanks to God is a good thing. It may also be an unavoidable practice for those who can discern God’s handiwork. In this particular prayer, I see two types of divine action that are the bases for expressing prayerful grati- tude: indications of God’s steadfast love and instances of God’s faithfulness. Remembering these works makes the people of God joyful in worship. How could they not be happy as they allow recollections of God’s love and faithfulness to flood their thoughts and memories? We affirm with the psalmist the importance of giv- ing thanks, of being people who understand the source of all good gifts and who actively and openly express appreciation for these gifts. But be sure that prayers of celebration—either praise or thanksgiving—are not intended as ends in themselves. There is always a movement, a process, in God’s scheme of activity.