Thankfulness

What does it mean to be thankful?

The Bible is clear on quite a few things?

It is clear that we are called in the Bible to be thankful.

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (, NLT)

“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (, NLT)

“Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.” (, NLT)

What does it mean to be thankful in all circumstances?

I feel too broken to be chosen.

Then the pastor had said it slowly so it couldn’t be missed, cup outstretched in his hands: “In other words, Jesus says to you with this cup, ‘I love you. I want you. I covenant Myself to you. I commit to you. This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which I offer to you. Do you love Me? Will you covenant yourself to Me?’ ”

It’s happening right now. The cup passes from Claude to Harold to Mary. This is what’s happening—that truth a preacher once shared with me: every Communion service is a remembrance of the intimate marital act. Both the Communion service and the intimate marital act are nothing less than a covenant renewal ceremony.3

I take the cup of red with a shaky hand on Sunday morning. Who takes the dare to their lips? Who seals their yes with a kiss? Can you believe that in all your broken, you can still be chosen? That you are?

Will you make a commitment to Me like I have made to you?

What are some of the things that we can be thankful for?

Voskamp, A., The Broken Way,

Life

Family

Health

What are some of the things that you aren’t thankful for?

sickness

frailty

that food doesn’t taste good any more!

that family don’t seem to care for me as much as they used to.

Let me take parts of the verses all together.

a) Always be joyful.

I have learned much from my time in Africa.

a lady named Maria. when we were there, she had her crops that were just coming up, lovingly handwatered by her every day. - well a neighbour’s cow came into their field - no fences - and she came in crestfallen.

we came in and gathered round. we sang songs about God and worshipped together.

b) Never stop praying.

we were thankful - yes, even for the cow. because it enabled us to want to come in and take the burden of Maria’s pain together.

b) Never stop praying.

one of the things about Maria’s situation was that she was living in a community that was desperately poor. in such circumstances th

It meant that she was

c) Be thankful in all circumstances,

look for examples of God’s difficult circumstances to release God’s goodness.

d) for this is God’s will

ultimately, what i need to know is that my circumstances are under God’s control. i can trust God that he is in control. we are tempted to

e) for you who belong to Christ Jesus.