Modeh Ani Art

The Modeh Ani prayer 

To make space for God in our lives, we must start with gratitude. Modeh ani literally means “I give thanks.” Upon arising, we begin our day by thanking God for giving us another day of life. Modeh Ani is the stepping stone for everything that follows from the moment we wake up. Children are taught from the earliest age to sing the Modeh Ani prayer. We infuse our lives with meaning by acknowledging God’s merciful consistency in restoring our souls. Waking up to the gift of a new day of living can easily be taken for granted, but we know all too well that life itself is not a given.

The meaning behind the verse

I give thanks to you, loving and eternal king, for you have mercifully restored my soul within me. Your faithfulness is great. 

What is the significance of Modeh Ani?

From a young age, we teach our children to say thank you. God wants us to show our thanks to Him by emulating Him. God is loving, and we love Him and act lovingly towards His creations. God is eternal, and we connect to eternity by worshipping Him. God is merciful, and we, too, show mercy towards others. God is faithful, reliably restoring our soul to us day after day. We strive to be consistent, showing up for those who depend on us, and fulfilling God’s will faithfully each day.