My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness (iTunes)
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
From the album The Ultimate Collection (Integrity Music)
For this week's featured hymn, I am going to share the story of the song by one of the authors, Keith Getty, as included on gettymusic.com:
"If we examine our personal devotions, or listen in on a prayer meeting, our thanksgiving often focuses on health and position, family and friends, home and belongings, (and all these are right and good -- the bible tells us to give thanks in every situation).
But the prayers of the early church in the New Testament never follow this pattern. The strong emphasis there is on giving thanks to God for spiritual blessings -- the blessings that have true value beyond life on earth.
In "My heart is filled with thankfulness" we give thanks to God for spiritual blessings -- past, present, and future. What Christ has done for us -- for forgiveness and new life, which only he could bring by coming here to earth and suffering for us. How he walks beside us each day and having lived, breathed and walked here on earth, how he promises to be with us whatever our future hold."
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