BE THANKFUL

MARCH 05  BE THANKFUL! "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful" Col 3:15 ESV   "Be thankful." Such a simple phrase, but what did Paul mean? Be thankful for what? To whom? Let's think about it. The first thing that comes to mind is to be thankful to God for giving us salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. That's good. If it weren't for that, our lives would really be meaningless. If there were no eternity, why would we spend so much time being "faithful?" Without salvation, what purpose would there be in living for anyone but you? We all know self-centered people. They tend to be miserable individuals -- and no one really likes being around them. Yes, thanks be to God for giving us a reason to be faithful. Only in   obeying God’s laws and accepting His free gift of grace through Jesus do we find "sanity." in an insane world. Next think about being thankful to others. Most of us know people who are good to us. Granted, some of us may have to search a little longer than others because we haven’t done it in a while, but there are always those who love us and bless us with their goodness. How long has it been since you said "thank you?" Have you thanked your spouse lately? They give up a lot for you. I know my wife gives a lot of herself to make me comfortable. (Thank you, Jamie!) Have you thanked your parents, your children, (I was blessed to get to see my dad and our three daughters last week at Faulkner, and I’m thankful for that!) your teachers, the neighborhood policeman, your postman, your   newspaper carrier, the cashier at the grocery store, and the clerk at the bank? The list is endless. Finally thank yourself. WHAT? Yes, thank yourself -- for accepting salvation through Jesus -- for marrying such a wonderful person -- for your part in having and raising such wonderful children. We need to develop a "thankful" spirit. One that will be gracious and kind in all circumstances -- yes, even when you open that ugly tie for Christmas. It's the thought that counts. Be thankful in all things.


Print