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Thanksgiving

“I thank my God always concerning you upon the grace of God having been given to you in Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:4)  The congregations of Corinth had a lot of problems, as illustrated in that letter  Yet, Paul thanked God repeatedly for the godly character that was emerging in them.  Certainly, Paul offered several course corrections to reverse the damage caused by dragging their cultural norms into the church.  But, bottom line, he was thankful for their obvious character development.  Thankfulness starts with seeing the good in people.

“Your joining together for us in supplications, for into us grace was given, that, through many, thanks may be given for us.” (2 Corinthians 1:11)  Paul faced a myriad of dangers in this region.  Paul reported that not only did he gain the strength of character to overcome because of their prayers, but also that his deliverance resulted in great thanks by the many who prayed.  Paul’s survival may have been historically noteworthy.  However, the outpouring of thanks to God was even more important.  An attitude of thankfulness powers the church.

“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having abounded through more and more, may cause thanksgiving to abound into the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:15)  The hardships faced by Paul were for the sake of people like the Christians of Corinth, so that the gracious nature of God could be seen spreading through them, so that observers, realizing that this transformation was from God and not by superior self-control, would thank God.  These manifestations of the Spirit are a constant source of the thanksgiving we so sorely need.

“…enriching you in every way into all generosity, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)  God has promised the faithful that they will have an abundance (in this context, cash) for every good work (v 8).  God’s purpose is not so much to produce good works, but to stimulate thanksgiving which is the foundation of the joy and peace that should characterize the faithful.  The world will always be a mess.  Focus on the good stuff.

“Because of this, I also, after having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus among you and the love into all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention upon my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:15 – 16)  The faith and love among the faithful of Ephesus caused Paul to give thanks in his prayers.  Taking the time to track the progress of Christians far away produces thanksgiving of a more mature and selfless nature.  In addition to thanksgiving which is the foundation of peace and joy, we thereby better connect our spirits.

“…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus…” (Ephesians 5:20)  Giving thanks is part of endeavoring to be filled with the Spirit (v 18) and is to be engaged wisely (v 17) while immersed in the nature of Jesus (which is the meaning of “in the name of Jesus”), thereby knowing the will of Lord.  Blithely thanking God for everything misses the point, since most things are not the will of God – we call those things sin.  As with all godly things, thanksgiving takes some thought.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every supplication of mine for you all, with joy the supplication making, upon your fellowship into the gospel from the first day until now…” (Philippians 1:3 – 5)  The faithful of Philippi repeatedly had supported Paul financially starting very shortly after the gospel reached Philippi until the time of writing of this letter from prison.  Sharing with those engaged in spreading the gospel in new and difficult places brings them joy and prompts thanksgiving, which is enough reason to do it again.

“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying continually for you, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love into all the saints.” (Colossians 1:3 – 4)  Paul expressed similar sentiments to several.  Selflessness seeks to build up others.  Connectedness between the faithful requires effort.  Rather than being focused predominantly on those in the immediate vicinity, Paul worked on long distance relationships.  In our electronic age, we can do this easily.  We are one body, not a loose confederation.

“…giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you into the share of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” (Colossians 1:12)  The specifics for which to be thankful in this context are knowledge of His will, wisdom, understanding, the ability to walk worthily and fully pleasing, being fruitful and strengthened for patience and longsuffering with joy.  The power of the indwelling Spirit develops these qualities in those who trust God to provide them, not having to achieve a certain benchmark, but having been qualified through faith.

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the essential quality of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)  Being enabled to act and speak with the nature of Jesus is a result of the work of the indwelling Spirit.  As the faithful see themselves being transformed, they thank God for helping them become the people they always wanted to be but were unable to reach.  When the faithful see the Spirit working through them, they have proof that God has accepted them.

“We give thanks to God always upon all of you, making mention of you on our prayers, unceasingly remembering your work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope…” (1 Thessalonians 1:2 – 3)  Tallying all the topics about which Paul gave thanks, the faith, love, and hope of others was near the top of the list.  To imitate this, first we must know others well, and not just those we see regularly.  Second, we must find the faith, love, and hope of others fascinating and remarkable.  Third, those topics must be as real and valuable as health and creature comforts.

“We unceasingly thank God that, having received the Word of God by hearing from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but, as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also is effective in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)  Paul constantly thanked God that others understood that the Word was both true and from God, not just good advice or philosophy, that instigated a change in the faithful.  The Word, not the letters on a printed page but one of the four faces of God, is the personification of truth (reality) which frees us from a life of self-deception.

“We are obligated to thank God always upon you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you all abounds into each other so that we boast of you among the churches of God for your endurance and faith…” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)  Paul was not just pleased by the faith and love of others, not just thankful, but felt an obligation to express that thankfulness, both to God in prayer and to third parties.  All the faithful share this obligation.  Therefore, we need to know about the faith and love of others, both near and far.

“We are obligated to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you into salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and faith of the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)  In addition to the obligation to share the news of the faith and love of others (1:3), the faithful are obliged to publicize that other faithful people are successfully reserving their time and energies for godly purposes, and are trusting in the reality of God rather than the deception of this world.

“I thank my God always, making mention of you upon my prayers, hearing of your faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and into all the saints, that the connectedness of your faith may be effective…” (Philemon 4)  Paul trusted Philemon and the other major character in that short letter, Onesimus.  So, he put them both in a very difficult situation, setting them up to succeed.  Paul thanked God long before events came to a head because he knew that Philemon’s faith was not just toward God, but also in other faithful people, so this, too, would play out well.

“We give You thanks, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.” (Revelation 11:17)  The twenty-four elders around the throne of God thanked Him that “the kingdom of this world has become that of our Lord and His Christ.” (v15)  Satan was deposed and Jesus has taken over (also in Revelation 1:5, 2:27, 12:5, 19:15, Psalm 2:8 – 9).  The faithful of today would do well to join in this hymn of thanks that the reign of the Deceiver ended about 1950 years ago.

“The Pharisee having stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not as other men.’” (Luke 18:11)  Obviously, this Pharisee assumed arrogantly that he was a model of godliness to others.  In a more general sense, he thanked God for something God had not done.  Too often, we thank God for what we like, although in God’s view that for which we are thanking Him may well be harmful to our spiritual well-being.  Thankfulness is necessary, but it requires significant thought so that we thank God for what He actually did.

“Having known God, they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful but became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21)  An amazing number of people will readily assert that God exists but fail to take the next logical step of extolling His completely consistent character traits and being thankful for the opportunities afforded through this creation to incubate the faith necessary for the long haul.  Without the backdrop of glory and thanks, minds go futile and dark, as evidenced by world history.

“…but rather the giving of thanks.” (Ephesians 5:4)  The sentences before and after list a wide variety of common but unproductive behaviors (a.k.a. evil or sin).  The cure for the ills of this world is thanksgiving.  We can complain about what we do not have and be miserable.  Or, we can be thankful for the godly or God-given things we do have and be joyous.  Those without a connection to God require strong control or everyone loses.  Those connected to God give thanks, the side benefits of which are contentment, peace, and hope.

“…rooted and built up in Him and established in faith, as you have been taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:7)  The faithful need well-thought-out advice about for what to be thankful.  We can be trite and be thankful for the rising of the sun.  Or we can be unrealistic and be thankful for what we like.  Or we can get lost in the montage of calamity that is life on earth.  Instead, the faithful need to seek out that which allows them to rise above what ordinary humans can accomplish: redeemed, complete, a resurrected spirit, accepted, and free.

“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts into which you were called in one body and be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)  Several godly character traits are listed in the previous four verses.  Development of these through the work of the Spirit in the faithful brings peace of such a remarkable degree that outsiders ask what you are on.  Further, each member of the body does not have to be all things to all men; it’s a team effort, each empowered differently to complement the others.  Be thankful for the body, the peace, and especially that you are not alone.

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)  In the next sentence, Paul asks for prayers for himself that he might have opportunities and be clear.  Prayers should not just include thanksgiving, but be entirely couched in terms of thanksgiving.  Dividing a prayer into requests and praise and thanks misses the point.  For example, the requests that Paul have opportunities and be clear should come from thanks for past opportunities and clarity.  Recognizing subjects for thankfulness requires vigilance about life.

“…in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)  The will of God is what God desires for people, not what God will force to happen, just as it is the will of God that all be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).  But, being of a mindset to be thankful all the time can seem too much to expect.  Life is full of mishaps, not to mention evil.  Some we bring on ourselves, some gets done to us.  The key is to be thankful for the power to overcome provided by the Spirit who dwells in the faithful.

“I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made for all men.” (1 Timothy 2:1)  Paul specifically included governmental authorities in “all men.”  The goal of the prayers was “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.”  Making requests of God concerning governmental authorities is easy.  Being thankful about them is much more challenging.  Perhaps that happens because we allow the governmental actions we don’t like to overshadow the ones we need and depend upon.

“…foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving.” (1 Timothy 4:3)  The New Testament records eight occasions of “giving thanks” or “blessing” food before eating.  Another six are duplicate accounts.  Detailed teachings about the table blessing are not given, rather the action was presented as a normal thing to do.  But most early Christians were poor.  Hunger, even famine, was a clear and present danger.  The idea is to be thankful for what you have, not allowing what you do not have to interfere with the joy of the moment.