AND BE THANKFUL
Today’s Reference: Col. 3:1-17 (NKJV)
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
St. Paul addresses us as holy and beloved. Isn’t that a self-esteem booster? Since we know by whom we are loved, we expect good things at the hand of our Lover. Therefore, we should represent Him well. Today’s scripture reminds us of the things with which we should be adorned. Thankfully, we are not just being disrobed, but we are also being given appropriate covering. (Put off and put on). The first thing that our attention is directed to is “tender mercies”
In Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene 1 we are given an in-depth description of mercy. It reads in part:
The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place, beneath. It is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: The attribute to awe and majesty,…It is an attribute to God Himself;…Though justice be thy plea, consider this, That, in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation: We do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.
God demonstrated mercy by sending Jesus to die for us. As recipients of mercy, we are expected to show mercy, but to do that, we must do the following:
• v. 1-4 Seek things that are of eternal value.
• v. 5-6 Flee immorality thus escaping Gods wrath.
• v.8-11 Put off an evil mindset.
• v. 15 Retain the peace of God and be thankful.
• v. 16 Display the character of Christ.
• v. 17 Do everything in Jesus’ Name.
Above all things, we should put on love: the bond of perfection. Love is the glue that conjoins mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering and forgiveness. Visualize a banana. When it is peeled, the edible part is uncovered. Love can be likened to that peel. It demonstrates mercy in a tangible way. The Holy Spirit graces us with both the resolve and the power to put on all that we are commanded to, but it is the love of Christ which propels us to obey. We can either be bonded with the perfectness of love, or be dispersed with self-will.
After putting on all that we are told, Paul says “…and let the peace of God dwell in you richly…and be thankful.” Let: to allow; permit; have control; or have the say so. It is dependent on our acceptance, therefore, let God’s peace have pre-eminence in our hearts. We can allow this peace or we can block, hinder, or ignore it. What is peace? It is: inexplicable tranquility when sight dictates otherwise; the assurance that God has good plans for us; resolve; the calm confidence that Omnipotence has us. He, the Prince of Peace, is the only One who can offer it because He is its Author. Rest in that knowledge, and let peace have the dominance in our life. What a journey it is to fulfill His expectations of us? It may be an arduous road to let the peace of God rule in our hearts, but we can get there. Place Him on a pedestal and allow Him to govern. He does an excellent job of things.
In addition to putting off and putting on, Paul entreats us “…and be ye thankful.” Indeed, there are things that may disturb our peace and cause us to forget the provisions that we enjoy as we run the race, so we are reminded to be thankful.
Be thankful for:
• Life – While there is life, there is hope.
• God – The Father who pities us.
• Jesus- who is coming again to receive us to Himself.
• The Word –It is life and health to those that find it.
• A sound mind – We can reason.
• Wisdom – God gives it at our request.
• Seasons – Variety is the spice of life.
• Providence – We will never be forsaken.
• Protection – from seen and unseen dangers.
• Time – the medium through which the Eternal God works.
• Community – We are called into one body with friends and family.
• Stuff – That which we have is much more than what we entered the world with
• Other – things that you may think of.
LUKE 17:11-19
11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Who does not want to be appreciated? If we, as mere mortals, place so much emphasis on gratitude, how much more does God? Luke chapter 17 references Jesus’ cleansing of ten lepers of which only one returned thanks. Let us be counted with that one …. “And be thankful.”
Dr. O. A. James
REFLECTION
State a time when you expressed thankfulness and you received more than you even expected.