Gratitude … thanksgiving. This month, we’re focused on how blessed we are and giving thanks.
We’re thankful for God’s provision, freedom, the comforts we enjoy, our families and friends, and so much more.
Do we stop to think about how grateful we are for our husbands? Have we thanked God for our husbands?
Have we thanked our husbands?
There are many ways to bless our husbands. One way is to express our thanks. Expression can be in many ways. We can show them, sing to them, speak to them, pray for them, and much more.
Show Your Thanks
Do you see this woman? … she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. … she has not ceased to kiss my feet. … she has anointed my feet with ointment.
Luke 7:44-46
Jesus told His dinner host, a Pharisee, that the woman’s sins were many, but they were forgiven. Because of His forgiveness, she loved much (Luke 7:47).
She is in the presence of her Savior, and her response is to fall at His feet and weep. She could be mourning because of her sins, but she has been forgiven. More likely, she is weeping for joy and giving thanks for her forgiveness.
In those days, people walked the dusty streets of the city in sandals. By the time they got to their destination, their feet were grimy and caked with dirt. It was customary for a servant to greet a guest, wash their feet, and anoint the guest’s head with oil.
Jesus’ host did not offer to wash His feet or anoint His head with oil. Yet, the woman did much more than that.
She wet His feet with her tears, loosed her hair and wiped His feet with her hair, kissed His feet, and then anointed His feet.
Complete adoration and a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
This woman was totally focused on Jesus. She was fully present. She ignored the protocols of the day, boldly entering a Pharisee’s house uninvited and loosening her hair so that she could wipe the feet of Jesus.
Although she never said a word, this was her humble way of thanking Jesus.
Are you thankful for your husband? Show him with your actions.
5 Ways to Show Your Thanks.
- Touch his feet. Give him a foot massage and be fully present – no television, no distractions, just him.
- Smile and look into his eyes as you rub his head.
- Remember his acts of kindness and thank him in a text.
- Make his favorite dessert … just because.
- Write him a love note, listing what you are thankful for.
Gratitude takes action.
Sing Your Thanks
And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.“
Exodus 15:21
After the Israelites safely crossed the Red Sea, Moses broke out in a song of thanksgiving as he recounted the Lord’s actions to protect the Israelites, then Miriam, his sister, grabbed her tambourine and led the women in a song of thanksgiving.
We sing to the Lord. We can sing to our husbands a song of thanksgiving … even if our voices are a bit off key.
5 Ways to Sing Our Thanks
- Personalize the song of Miriam. “My Beloved has accomplished many glorious things for the Lord; he has succeeded mightily at work; he has protected his family and given them comfort.”
- Personalize a love song and sing it to him.
- Text your thanks, and include a link to a love song. Tell him that’s how you feel about him.
- Hum a love song; take his hand, and slow-dance.
- Does he remind you of a melody from the past? Sing it to him and tell him why it reminds you of him.
Gratitude sings.
Speak Your Thanks
Let them thank the LORD for His steadfast love.
Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
The Israelites were commanded to thank the Lord for His love and acknowledge that they had been redeemed by Him.
5 Ways to Speak Your Thanks
- Personalize the words of Psalm 107 to offer a spoken thanksgiving to your husband. It might be something like, “I thank you, Keith, for your steadfast love, for you work wonders in giving me a comfortable life.”
- Speak verses from Song of Solomon to him. “You are so handsome, my love, pleasing beyond words! (Song of Solomon 1:16)
- Call him and tell him how much his love means to you.
- Take him ice water in the middle of his yard work and tell him you appreciate all he does.
- In front of your husband, tell a friend three ways he blesses you.
Thanksgiving speaks.
Pray Your Thanks
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
1 Timothy 2:1
How do you pray for your husband?
“God, change him!” Did that get the results we wanted?
What if we changed our prayers for our husbands?
5 Ways to Pray Our Thanks
- Ask God to help your husband and give thanks that God gave him to you.
- Remember what intrigued you about your husband when you were dating and thank God in front of your husband.
- Hug your husband and pray out loud a short prayer thanking God for something your husband did that blessed you.
- Grab your husband before he leaves the house and thank God for the new day and how your husband will bless others during the day.
- At the end of the day, take your husband’s hand and whisper in his ear a prayer that details how blessed you are because of him.
Our Father in heaven, You are the God who hears our prayers. You are the One who has given us the Holy Spirit to help us focus upon You and Your love. Help us to focus our prayers on who You are and who our husbands are in Your sight. We know that with You, nothing is impossible, and we give You our marriages. Bless our husbands and our marriages, so that they honor You. Lord, cause our hearts to overflow with thanksgiving and praise. We love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Whether you act, sing, or speak, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God and to your husband.
