Thanks Be to our God

For the road that leads from darkness into light
For the hope that rescues us from endless night
For the grace that covers sin at the door where life begins
For salvation reaching in to guide us through, thanks be to our God

For the healing that no mortal can explain
For deliverance that breaks the sinner's chains
For the strength to carry on and forgiveness great and strong
And the promise of Your mercies ever new, thanks be to our God

Hallelujah, everlasting songs will rise
For all You've done, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Thanks be to our God

For the emptiness that cries out to be filled
For the promise that Your word is deeper still
For the longing and the need to have more of You in me
Because nothing satisfies the way You do, thanks be to our God

Hallelujah, everlasting songs will rise
For all You've done, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Thanks be to our God

For the mysterious beyond the veil of death
For the peace that opens with our closing breath
When our struggles pass away and we finally see Your face
And a greater glory rises into view, thanks be to our God

Hallelujah, everlasting songs will rise
For all You've done, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Thanks be to our God

Hallelujah, everlasting songs will rise
For all You've done, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Thanks be to our God, thanks be to our God

Songwriters: Sue C. Smith, Travis Cottrell, David E Moffitt. For non-commercial use only

https://youtu.be/05ao2W4h5UE?si=bDHXW7bx662t_acd

This song...it slays me every time I listen to it. For the past several years, I play it around Thanksgiving and it always ends up on repeat for hours at a time. 

I first heard it while in choir years ago when we sang it for the Thanksgiving Eve service at church. It didn't really touch me during practice, but on Thanksgiving Eve, it was like an arrow to my heart. Those verses...the idea of thanking God for things like "emptiness that cries out to be filled" or "the longing and the need to have more of you in me". Each line carries with it not only the blessings of God, but also the pains of life 'under the sun'. 

It struck me today as I began what is now my tradition of sitting in this song and letting it wash over me, that healing doesn't come without first experiencing pain and sickness. We don't experience the road into light without first going down the road of darkness. We don't know the grace of God without acknowledging our sin. We don't really appreciate hope until we have experienced a period of endless night. 

So many of the blessings of life are really only felt and appreciated after having experienced the trials and pain of life.