Monday, December 1, 2025
And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17 CSB
A Life of Thanksgiving
Last week was thanksgiving and most are moving on the Christmas already. Let’s pause for a moment to consider exactly what thankfulness is, and how we can live a life of thankfulness every day.
Thankfulness grounded in love is the combination of attitude and action in response to God’s presence and promises. Eucharisteo is a Greek word that means "I give thanks." It is an outpouring of gratefulness, rooted in the Greek words for "grace" (charis) and "joy" (chara). This encompas ses the feeling of thanksgiving and the act of giving thanks.
Most of us feel like we are thankful for our lives – the people we love, the blessings we have been given, our jobs, the provision of God for our needs. There is a difference in the occasional nod to God for all our blessings and living a life of thanksgiving. Yesterday Pastor Jim gave us three points that will help us in living a life of thanksgiving every day.
Remember Your Past and Future - So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
Paul reminded the Colossians that they were new in Christ and that they should be seeking things above, not on earthly things. Like the Colossians, we belong to Christ, dead to the old man and old ways, living transformed lives that look different that before. As we grow and mature in our relationship with Christ, we are transformed by the renewing of our mind so learn to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
We remember our past, where we have been and now redeemed by Christ, but also our future. We are no longer our own but Christ’s as we live in him. Our identity is in him and our future is through him. When he returns, we will be with him in heaven. Our future is secure.
Recognize Your Blessings - Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as God’s holy ones chosen and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:5-14
We need to remember that we are only where we are by the grace of God. When we were dead in our sins, we could have gone a really wrong way, but God protected us and brought us to where we are today. We have been bought by his shodded ir evee
Respond With A life of Gratitude - And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of th2:
e Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
How do we live a life of thanksgiving? We live a life of thanksgiving by living our lives in him and through him. When this happens everything we do – in word or in deed – glorifies God and points others toward him. Everything we do or say should be for him and his glory.
