Give Thanks (2)
It's so routine. You walk through a door that someone has opened for you and you say, "Thanks". The gas attendant hands you back your credit card and without even thinking, the word "thanks" comes out of your mouth.
While I'm a fan of people being courteous in our culture, I'm concerned that our "thanks" can just become a habit. And maybe this is ok with salespeople and drive-thru staff, but what about with our friends? our family? God?
In the Bible, the phrase "give thanks" or "thanksgiving" is used alot. This got me thinking: we don't just say thanks, we give it. It is an offerring. When we receive a gift, "thanks" is the something we give back. It's our gratitude, our appreciation, our acknowledgment that the gift was significant, and our profession that the giver has been gracious to us.
The passage on my mind this week is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
"Rejoice always,
pray continually,
give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I know, I know. There are lots of barriers to the exhortation to give thanks in all circumstances - the busyness of life, the lack of awareness of the gifts being given to us, and our pride that may not want to admit we don't deserve everything we have, to name a few. There is also the simple fact that we often find ourselves in situations that we are not thankful for. There are times when we are disappointed, stressed, angry, fearful, or sad - anything but thankful! How are we to offer thanks to God then? I believe that since we always have the presence of God with us, the promises of His Word, and a future hope, we can offer our thanks for these realities regardless of the circumstances we are in. Even when we have sinned, there can be gratitude. When I become aware that I've sinned, along with sorrow and remorse, I experience thankfulness that I have a Saviour who atoned for my sin and that I can be forgiven! Practising the discipline of thanksgiving can open us up to the good gifts the Lord wants to give us in times of trial and sorrow.
What do you think? Has this been your experience? Is there something very different you would say about this passage? Feel free to make comments!
While I'm a fan of people being courteous in our culture, I'm concerned that our "thanks" can just become a habit. And maybe this is ok with salespeople and drive-thru staff, but what about with our friends? our family? God?
In the Bible, the phrase "give thanks" or "thanksgiving" is used alot. This got me thinking: we don't just say thanks, we give it. It is an offerring. When we receive a gift, "thanks" is the something we give back. It's our gratitude, our appreciation, our acknowledgment that the gift was significant, and our profession that the giver has been gracious to us.
The passage on my mind this week is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
"Rejoice always,
pray continually,
give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I know, I know. There are lots of barriers to the exhortation to give thanks in all circumstances - the busyness of life, the lack of awareness of the gifts being given to us, and our pride that may not want to admit we don't deserve everything we have, to name a few. There is also the simple fact that we often find ourselves in situations that we are not thankful for. There are times when we are disappointed, stressed, angry, fearful, or sad - anything but thankful! How are we to offer thanks to God then? I believe that since we always have the presence of God with us, the promises of His Word, and a future hope, we can offer our thanks for these realities regardless of the circumstances we are in. Even when we have sinned, there can be gratitude. When I become aware that I've sinned, along with sorrow and remorse, I experience thankfulness that I have a Saviour who atoned for my sin and that I can be forgiven! Practising the discipline of thanksgiving can open us up to the good gifts the Lord wants to give us in times of trial and sorrow.
What do you think? Has this been your experience? Is there something very different you would say about this passage? Feel free to make comments!
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