15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.
- Ephesians 1:15-16
The apostle Paul, is writing to his beloved people in the church at Ephesus, and in a moment of reflection for all that they have done, he says; “I do not cease to give thanks for you…” Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be thankful without ceasing - to be in a state of perpetual gratitude?
I believe that this is possible, and it is the most uplifting thing we can do in our souls. Especially this year, as we have struggled through so much, and continue to do so. It is a year to be grateful for all the things we have, so that we don’t become distraught by all that we do not have. This year is a time to reflect and give thanks for the many wonderful and blessed years we have experienced, and anticipate with great joy the coming years we will experience. Perhaps we will even realize that we may have tried to overcomplicate things at times, and we will learn to enjoy the simple gifts, like sharing a cup of coffee and conversation with a friend, even more on the others side.
The psalmist in Psalm 30:12 writes: To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. It is that reminder, like the one from Paul, that we can choose to be grateful, and we should. Although our lives may not be perfect and we will have, or do have many trouble, there is still so much more for which to be grateful. Even with all that this would has gone through this year, and continues to go through, gratitude for what we do have should come to mind and heart. There are always blessings to be counted, if we simply look to God.
Thank God for waking us up this morning. Thank God for birds that chirp. Thank God for the home and love we share with family and friends. Thank God for the enteral life he has given in Christ. Thank God for the blessings of knowing we will reunite with loved ones in heaven. Thank God that he has overcome, and his mercy and grace know no end. Thanks be to God that his love never end, nor never fails, and for those things alone, may we never cease in giving our thanks back to God.
Grace & Peace,
Sam