Wow! Thanksgiving 2021 is now a memory. It was so wonderful having my Mother, Dianne’s family, and David’s Mom all here for Thanksgiving Dinner. And yes, we “gobbled ’til we wobbled!” Aren’t we blessed! Did you spend time “counting your blessings?” As Christians, this is something that should be part of our daily lives, for Paul told the church in Ephesus, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). We are God’s children, and just like we love to be “thanked” for the things that we do, God also wants to hear us say the words – “Thank you.”
There are times when we might find if difficult to say “Thank you,” but God’s Word shows us that it is always appropriate. Consider Job. He lost his family, his property, and even his health, but he was able to say, “Naked, came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord: (Job 1:21). Paul even came to the realization that his “thorn in the flesh” which he prayed three times for the Lord to take away – was actually a blessing and was able to say, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (II Corinthians 12:10). We need to thank God as a congregation each week, following Jesus’ example when He blessed the bread and the fruit of the vine when instituting the Lord’s Supper (Mark 14:22-23). We need to express our thankfulness for this beautiful world that God created for us here on earth – think about the sunrises, sunsets, take a moment to watch the waves roll in on the beach or enjoy the majestic view of His mountains. Our friends and families should always top our “thankfulness list.” Paul started and ended most of his letters, telling his Christian family that he was praying for them. “I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3). I often mentally go around the room, naming the ladies in my Ladies’ Bible Class in my prayers. I pray for our elders that they may make wise decisions concerning the work of the church here in Doniphan. Have you thanked those that have made an impact on your life?
Telling someone “Thank you” doesn’t cost any money, but it certainly brightens their day when they hear it. My Friends, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17). “In every thing, give thanks” (I Thessalonians 5:18a). Simply blessed, Courtney