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Thursday Thoughts

January 11, 2024

Let’s think about thanksgiving. No, I haven't lost my mind or my calendar, well maybe I have, but that is not the point. I am not referring to the holiday, I am referencing a way of living. Have you ever noticed the phrase “with thanksgiving” is a part of many verses in scripture?

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1 This is a statement of who God is and that we can trust that he is loving. It reminds us that he is trustworthy and dependable.

A favorite verse from Philippians 4: 6-7 is, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” If you are like me you read the do not be anxious part and kind of skim the rest. What does it mean to be thankful in this verse? Are we to be thankful for things that are giving us great anxiety? I looked at William Barclay’s commentary. He states that every prayer must include thanks for the privilege of praying. When we do this Barclay says that it implies two things: gratitude and submission to the will of God. When we believe that all things work together for good, then we can feel gratitude. When we are going through the hard things in life, it benefits us to remember we have a God who loves us and hears our prayers. For that, we can be thankful.

When we look at Psalm 146:1-2, “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” What are we to do with these verses? Why are we to praise God when life is getting us down? Just as parents teach their children by disciplining them, God reminds us that we are his and we are to keep him front and center of our lives. We are to worship him as our Creator, Savior, and Sustainer. We are only here for a short while, but while we are here, we are growing into the children God wants us to be. Remember, we are to have nothing to get in the way of our love of God. Our relationship with him starts here but this is just a stepping stone, a place to cut our spiritual teeth. God has something bigger and perfect for us but while we are here, we have an opportunity and responsibility to live and love so that others may know the love of God through Jesus Christ.

In Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica, he is encouraging the believers to grow in faith. They were newbies and were struggling a bit. Remember that Paul was being persecuted while writing to the believers everywhere. In his letter, he told them, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 These verses give us direction for whatever situation we find ourselves in. We are told to be joyful. A joyful life is different than a happy life. Joy does not depend on circumstances, joy comes when we have a healthy and growing relationship with God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are to live our lives prayerfully, keeping communication lines open to the Father all the time. Christ has made a way for us, we are not tied to the laws but have been set free because of the sacrifice of Christ. That is something to be joyful about and to offer thanksgiving.

There are many other references in scripture about thanksgiving. As we read and study scripture, and live our lives, maybe we can be more aware of the opportunities to be thankful. Thanksgiving is a way of life, a command from God, and a privilege for all believers. 

Blessings,

Becky

Bridgewater UMC 

Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!  

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Bridgewater, VA 22812

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