Day 5: Today I am thankful for...

...hymns.

'We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express' --Romans 8:26

There are many times where I want to feel near to God but have little motivation to open the bible and read his word (or pray, in a traditional sense). Enter Hymns of Truth and Praise, the hymnal from my old church wayyy back in the day. In the same way that Paul describes, singing hymns is a similar intercession  for revealing truth when I don't want to "read". Singing words gives it another dimension that I crave.... Plus, it's so fun and uplifting! I must admit that I only go to the songs  I am familiar with that were sung by my dad as he did dishes after dinner--it's his example of singing to the Lord throughout the house that instilled in me a love of hymns. This love only grew more while being at Rafiki last summer (now I can't help but hear their Kenyan accents when I sing "Rock of Ages"). 

Earl Palmer, former pastor at UPC, used to say, "There are two things you should keep by your bedside: A bible and a hymn book". I concur wholeheartedly.