Tongue-tied - God Is Great

Tongue-Tied - God Is Great

God is great.

God is good.

Let us thank him for our food.

By his hand we must be fed.

Thank you, Lord, for our daily bread. Amen.

WHAT CHILD has not recited this prayer in a sing-songy, sweet, little squeaky voice? Most of us who were raised in Christian homes learned this one long before we learned our ABCs. A prerequisite to being served the first course (which we all knew we had to muddle through to get to the important part of the meal—dessert), this prayer provides the ultimate foundation for any of us when we get tongue-tied.

My grown-up version goes like this:

Father, I praise you for who you are: the almighty God.

Father, I praise you for all you do: the holy Creator.

Father, I know that all gifts are provided by you; forgive me when I become proud or haughty or self-reliant. I know I can do nothing without you.

Father, I thank you for everything I have in my life.

My relationships—thank you for giving me people to love and people to love me.

My home—thank you for providing me safe shelter.

My work—thank you for providing me with a place to contribute my talents.

My food—thank you for my full belly.

My clothes—thank you for my full closet.

My health—thank you for this breath.

You have provided for all my needs today; forgive me when I test you and worry about tomorrow. In the name of my Savior, Christ Jesus. Amen.

Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!” (Psalm 66:1-3)

God is great. . . .