As I sit here with pen and paper, I wonder if as Gods people, are we thankful? Am I thankful? What does it mean to be thankful? I looked up some scriptures on being thankful. Paul wrote a lot about it, during his time on earth. Just take a look at the word thankful. Most of us, including me, do not think much about being full of thanks. God has blessed us to live on this earth which He has created for us.
It breaks my heart to see what is left of this country that I was born in. We just had an election and it’s so close we still do not know if President Trump has won again. People voted for one of two men who represent two very different views of this United States of America. President Trump is for life and Joe Biden is for death and a socialistic way of life.
How can anyone who calls themselves Christian, ever vote for the Democratic party? Their main platform is against everything God says is right in His word. The Democratic party is not the same one I grew up with. We as Christians will be responsible for our actions and our votes.
What does this have to do with being thankful? It is not over yet, our next President will be Mr. Trump, of that I am thankful.
Paul said in Colossians 3: 15 that we are to let the peace of God rule in our hearts and be thankful as children of God. I have tried to live a life of thanksgiving and failed miserably at times. Too human I guess. But in my latter years (of which I am 74 and counting) I have started to mellow out some. Not enough according to my dear, sweet wife, who has to live with me.
If we could only achieve what Paul said in Colossians 3:17, “and whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him”. Paul also says in Colossians 4:2, that we are to “continue in prayer and watch in the same, with thanksgiving”. Or in other words, to be earnest and unwearied in our prayer life, by being both alert and intent in our prayers by giving our Father thanks in all things He has promised us.
Paul also tells us not to fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance we find ourselves, we are to pray and petition our Father as we make our request known to Him with thanksgiving.
He also reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, that we are to give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us. ( note that Paul said IN everything, NOT for everything, big difference). Paul goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 2:14 that we are to give God thanks, for He always causes us to triumph in Christ, and we are made known to Him in every place we go.
Back to my original question I wrote in my opening paragraph. Am I thankful? If I sit down and think about my life, and slow down my pace in this race of life, to where I can take a time travel trip back into my past, then I can truly say, Yes, I am thankful for all the things my Father has brought me through, and all the things He has allowed me to experience, to make me the person I am today.
I am thankful for my dear children, my grandchildren, and my dear sweet wife who always lifts me up by her smile of love. I have the privilege to say I can see four generations of my seed alive on the earth right now in 2020. I just got word yesterday (November 11) that my grandson from my daughter, they just had a baby boy. Thank you Jesus for his safe arrival on planet earth.
I am thankful for this ministry of reconciliation God has allowed me to be involved in. I could go on, but I think you all get the idea of what I am trying to say. Live a life of thanksgiving, and when you do take time to reminisce, you will be greatly blessed.
My other question was, what does it mean to be thankful? Mr. Webster gives us this definition on being thankful: a prayer expressing gratitude. What is gratitude? It is the state of being grateful, which is being appreciative of benefits received.
We should always be grateful for what we have, and never forget who we really are. The most important thing we have ever been given is that we are Gods children, and we are only in this world a very short time. I never want to be thought of as someone who did not represent Jesus in my walk of life. I want to be thought of as a man who was thankful and full of joy.
I also want each of you to be thankful this Thanksgiving day, as you travel into your past and give God thanks for your life on this earth today. I know I am thankful for each of you, as you bless this man of God by reading these words and applying them to your lives.
Keep your eyes on the goal, and become the winner you were created to be. You will make it, just don’t give up. See you next week.
The Kilted Priest 