Nov 23-24 - Colossians 3:15-17

 

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:15-17

 

In three verses in Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul says "give thanks" three times. I think it must be important! I believe, indeed, that thanksgiving is a profoundly untapped resource in too many people's lives.

 

1

 

The first time that Paul says some version of "give thanks," he says, "let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts ... and be thankful."

 

From my experiencing -- and from helping shepherd hundreds of lives -- the best way to find peace is to be thankful. It's almost like a prescription! There are two ways to view the world. One is from a myth of scarcity. We worry about what we don't have. Thankfulness transforms hearts by focusing on what we do have ... which is generally so much.

 

Think about it ... Worry focuses on what? Emptiness. But thanksgiving focuses on blessing ... and on the one who blesses! And when we're looking up to Jehovah-Jireh -- our provider -- we are continually reassured that all that we really need is eternally in his hands.

 

2

 

The second time that Paul talks about thankfulness, he says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

 

This verse could be a chicken and an egg scenario: Which comes first? Is it the singing of spiritual songs that brings "thankfulness [to] your hearts"? Or is it a thankful heart that helps you sing so joyfully? (I advise singing praise -- even from the valleys -- until we feel thankful. And then out of our thankfulness, to sing praise even more. It's like a joyful upward spiral. Song begets thankfulness ... which begets more song ... which begets more thanksgiving.

 

And, you know, there's one more piece to this phrase -- it's about teaching, admonishing, and God's word dwelling richly. God's Word is Truth. Truth proclaims light in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of despair, and joy even in the face of sorrow. Is it the Truth of God's mercy and grace that brings "thankfulness [to] your hearts" even in the face of life's trials? Or is it a life of thankfulness that drives you again and again to God's Word -- hungrily -- so that your soul is equipped for those times of trial.

 

3

 

For the third time in three verse Paul encourages us to give thanks. This time he says, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." When we live with thanksgiving in our hearts, we tend to see God more and more -- and more gloriously -- it this heart of Thanksgiving empowers us to serve more joyfully, more generously, more trustingly.

 

Fini

 

Did you know thanksgiving did all that?

 

May prayer is that this weekend you enjoy good food and blessed fellowship around well-set table. But most of all, I pray that it's really about thanksgiving. God is the generous provider, the true author of all true blessings.

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who prays that

this weekend inspires

more peace, more song

and a greater hunger

(for more than just turkey)