Lord You’ve Been Good To Me

I’ve returned to another Graham Kendrick song:

Lord you’ve been good to me
All my life, all my life
Your loving kindness never fails
I will remember
All you have done
Bring from my heart
Thanksgiving songs

Despite the bad news I will choose to be grateful – my life has been good.

Today, November 1^st, is ‘All Saints Day’. I remember, I’m thankful for, all of the ‘saints’ who have helped me, taught me, inspired me, set me an example: Miss Foote, my first Sunday School teacher, Rosa Vanstone who encouraged me as a teenager to work with children… I’ve recently mentioned Dad, sister-in-law Stephanie… Ted Kirk, David Minton, John Norris….

New every morning is your love
Filled with compassion from above
Grace and forgiveness full and free
Lord you’ve been good to me

Kendrick says: ‘This song flowed out of a private moment of praise when I was calling to mind God’s goodness to me throughout my life. It draws inspiration from Jeremiah’s words in Lamentations 3:22,23: ‘Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness’.’

This morning I’m musing on Paul’s: ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’ I’m grateful for the ‘saints’ who have shown me what love, joy, peace… looks like in ordinary daily life.

So may each breath I take
Be for you Lord, only you
Giving you back the life I owe
Love so amazing
Mercy so free
Lord you’ve been good
So good to me

Paul goes on to say: ‘Let us keep in step with the Spirit’. Keeping in step is active, deliberate and purposeful, travelling in the same direction and keeping up.

I will seek to stay grateful, and keep in step with the Spirit who brings growing fruit.