I wish to encourage you in your expressions of thankfulness to God today. It’s so easy for our thanks to revolve around ourselves, instead, be thankful for those things which are God centred and Christ focused, things which would be appealing and satisfying only to God.
We get a glimpse of heaven in Revelation 4:8-9, where the four living creatures, …never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, …giving glory and honour and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever. The eternal voices of Heaven shall be preoccupied with worship. We believers in Christ start our eternal expression of worship and thanksgiving now, giving thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1Thessalonians 5:18). Just as there will be no moaners in heaven, none of us in Christ should be characterised by moaning now.
The apostle Paul, writing in 2 Corinthians 4:15 says that as God’s grace extends to more and more people resulting in salvation, the body of Christ will proportionately increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. We, the beloved in Christ, are the handiwork of Christ for the purpose of thankful glory to God, WHAT A PRIVILEGE!
Follow the example of Paul, who gave thanks to God always for you (each other) because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:4). Paul looked past personalities, he recognised the eternal significance of God’s grace at work in others, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints (Colossians 1:12).
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). This is a Holy Spirit transforming work within us, producing thanksgiving and glory that is squarely centred in God through Jesus Christ.
Today, we thank God:
- For souls saved through repentant faith in Jesus Christ as Lord
- For salvation, eternal forgiveness in Christ and the indwelling, sealing of the Holy Spirit
- For increased understanding and wisdom gained through God’s Word -The Bible
- For answered prayer, particularly those which were outside of our control or influence
- For the fruit of personal sanctification, especially when following personal character pruning
- For the hope of Heaven and Christ’s soon return to gather His bride, the church, to Himself – Come Lord Jesus!
- For the privilege of dispensing a little of God’s mercy into someone else’s life
- For each other
Above all else beloved, speak well of the Saviour today!!