Faith-Life; Abounding in Thanksgiving

Devotional Reading: “Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Col. 2:7 ESV

This particular text of the scripture brings to my mind an experience while I was in the children session of my church. Oftentimes, during the prayer session, the brother leading will call on them to pray to God and for those who might not know what or how to pray, to keep saying, “Lord, thank you.” And for couple of minutes, the children will gladly repeat the words with gladness in their heart.

However, thanksgiving in itself is a form of worship. On many occasion, many does that
primarily because they consider it a routine which must be done before making request from the Lord. Scriptures reveals to us how we as believers should walk in the Lord and one of the ways is to abound in thanksgiving. To abound is to be present in large numbers or in great quantity; to be prevalent. This is to say, in all we do, thanksgiving should be given priority.

Believers are expected to live a life of faith, full of thanks not with the notion of receiving from God as many often religiously say, for God is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil (Luke 6:35). Hence, thanksgiving is a way of life that God expects from us, for who he is and what he’s doing in our life.

Take a moment to itemize the things God has given unto you both in the spiritual (gift of the holy spirit, forgiveness of sin, adoption, daily guidance etc.) and in the physical (divine health, sound mind, gift of family, automobiles etc.) and you will be left with no other option than to live a thankful life. You are probably depressed because you only itemize and place before you what you believe God has not done yet. Remember, you started your new life thanking God for delivering you from the power of darkness, for giving you his spirit to abide in you forever, continue therein.

Prayer and Confession
Daily as I live and often as I breathe, my life will be to the praise and glory of Christ, living to thank Him for all of his goodness in my life, family and the nation.

Further Reading: Psalms 50:10-14, 95:2, 100:4, 2Cor. 9:12