Gratitude

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...

But, Jesus, would You please ...

I recently made a "running" playlist on my ipod. Basically, it's about 4 hours of music to run to, because I was getting really tired of searching for songs that would keep me going on my early morning runs. I've discovered that I'm a little picky about what I listen to while running. But, this is one of the songs that made the cut. It's called "Gratitude" by Nichole Nordeman. This morning, it captured my attention during my run, and I replayed it a couple of times because it was resonating in my heart so strongly. I've thought about this song all day, and tonight as I watch the electoral votes stack up for each presidential candidate, it still resounds. The portion that's bolded above is what first caught my attention, particularly as I've taken in all of the election talk. We've talked in our office about how fearful people seem these days....financial crisis...war...election...all of which are valid reasons to be afraid. But, a thought that keeps running through my head is a phrase that I feel like the Lord gave me a few years ago during a particularly confusing and tough time in my own personal life..."We don't respond as if we are people who have no hope." I feel like we forget that what we want may not be necessarily what we need...that maybe all of this is just a lesson to learn of how to trust in Him....an opportunity to understand that we are blessed beyond we could ever dream in abundance or in need. So, my encouragement to all of us (including/especially me) is that no matter what, we respond as though we are people who have hope, because, indeed, we do. 

...and if You never grant us peace....but Jesus, would you please...