By Stephen N. Wakefield

Our church has something called the prayer blanket ministry. It’s a program where people who experience adversity because of ill health, loss of a loved one or other life challenges receive a blanket that has been prayed over by members of the church. Knots tied in strips at the end of the blanket represent the prayers offered for the blanket’s recipient.

Watching people’s reactions when they receive their blanket is almost always uplifting. The recipients are suffering. There are tragic circumstances in their lives that give them good reason to suffer and grieve – to lose hope. Yet many are hopeful and grateful, not only for the blanket, but to God for the good things in their lives.

How many of us, when faced with the normal challenges of daily living, take the time to thank God for the many blessings he has bestowed upon us?

It has been said that prayers fall into the categories of “help,” “thanks” and “wow.” Most of my prayers, unfortunately, have fallen into the “help” category – asking God for his help with a problem – and not into the “thanks” category, expressing gratefulness to God for his many blessings.

There is an old Perry Como song, “Count Your Blessings,” with the verse, “When I am worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep.”

A good resolution for this year may be to count your blessings and express your gratefulness to God for them, remembering that our greatest blessing is God’s gift of his son, Jesus Christ.

Stephen N. Wakefield is the vice president, general counsel and secretary of Buckner International and its subsidiaries.

Prayer of the Week:
-God, we thank you for the beauty of this world, the blessing of family and friends, and the loving care which surrounds us on every side. We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts and leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us. Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ.
 

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