Give Thanks

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 richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:15-17)

One of the things that stands out to me in these verses is the expression of ‘thankfulness’. “Be thankful, singing with thankfulness and giving thanks”, are all stated. When the apostle Paul keeps repeating this then I think the Holy Spirit is trying to get something through to us. The word ‘be thankful’ that is conveyed here means we are to express gratitude or the emotion of gratitude. I believe where there is a thankful attitude prevailing then you will see a greater appreciation of the Lord and one another. On the other hand where there is a lack of thankfulness prevailing then you will see a complaining attitude and a certain miserableness at work. My thoughts were immediately turned towards the last supper that Jesus initiated towards His disciples, prior to proceeding to Gethsemane and Calvary. When He took the bread and took the cup He gave thanks. (Luke 22:17-19) In the heart of Jesus there was always a love, an appreciation and a thankfulness in His relationship with the Father no matter what. Paul was also careful to state this point when talking to the Corinthian church about the manner in which they were to partake of communion. (1Cor 11:23-26) In 1Corinthians 10:16 he refers to our participation in ‘the cup of thanksgiving or blessing for which we give thanks or bless’. Yes we look back in thankful remembrance at what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. And yes, we look forward with eager anticipation that He is coming again in glory. But we do this as we participate in a present thankfulness that the Lord is with us right now in the very fellowship of His Body and He wants us to appreciate what we are actually a part of and joined to. It’s in this context that we can, “in everything give thanks: for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. (1Thess 5:18)