Dear Church of the Open Bible,
Yesterday, Les and I went to lead a chapel at the Ponoka General Hospital long-term care wing. There were about 20 patients and a number of staff who joined us for a time of singing and devotion. I shared about the peace of God realized through Christ, as we approach Him in prayer and thanksgiving (Phil. 4:5-7). We took time to consider the many things they can be thankful for, and found out that there were so many!
The longer I live, and the more I study God’s Word, the more I encounter how important thanksgiving is. Listen to Paul in just his small letter to the Colossians:
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you… (1:3)
May you be strengthened…giving thanks to the Father… (1:11-12)
…so walk in him…abounding in thanksgiving… (2:6-7)
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…And be thankful. (3:15)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (3:16)
…do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (3:17)
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. (4:2)
Over and over again we see how deep thankfulness characterizes someone who has encountered God’s grace in Christ. Furthermore, this letter is being written from someone who has been unjustly arrested and in prison! May we become more and more thankful, especially as we celebrate this week, but throughout the year. We surely have enough to be thankful for!