Today’s devotional is by Becky Watson

“Possibly one of the most joyful carols to sing, ‘Ding Dong, Merrily on High!’ mimics the sounds and rhythm of tolling bells. The message of the song is simple – praise the Lord!

‘Gloria, hosannah in excelsis!’ rounds off each verse. Today, we might say, “Highest glory and praise!” The song encourages everyone to praise God, to do all we can to praise Him. In our actions and in our singing, we should praise God.

We can often get lost in the busyness of daily life. Sometimes, when Christians pray, we can be preoccupied with giving God a list, requests and pleas for certain things. When reading the simple refrains of this song, I was reminded of the joys of praising. When we ‘switch gears’ and spend time simply thanking God and telling Him how marvellous He is, it can transform our thinking and give us back a ‘Christ-centred’ mind set.

In today’s world, many people are talking about mental health, and one popular form of self-care is the idea of ‘thankfulness’. I know people who keep gratitude journals, writing down one or more things that they are thankful for each day. But this isn’t a new notion – the Bible says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV) Did you catch that? Give thanks in all circumstances. Thankfulness should be a way of life for us. When we are thankful it shifts our focus from everything that’s going on around us. We remember that God is in control, that everything good in life is a gift from Him.

What are you thankful for today? Why not spend a few minutes thanking God for what’s good in your life.”