This is a new month and we have a new theme for March, praise and thanksgiving. Our first verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in everything!
Verse 18 is actually the third in a list of things that Paul is saying we should always be doing as Christians. Here’s the full set:
According to the Greek, the this at the end of the list refers to the “substance of the preceding discourse,” in other words–ALL THREE! So from the Interlinear Bible, it reads,
“For these things are the will of God as regards you.”
What would it look like if these three things really DID characterize our lives as Christians?
REJOICE ALWAYS! What should we be so happy about all the time?
I recently heard a podcast from Doctor David Jeremiah from Ecclesiastes 9. He titled it, “The Subject Nobody Wants to Talk About,” because it was about death.
Solomon didn’t have a problem talking about it. He made the points that
• death was inevitable,
• death could not be ignored,
• nor could death be avoided.
So, what was Solomon’s response to these somber truths? David Jeremiah summarized the advice this way.
Treat every meal like it’s a feast! He pointed out that we rarely sit down and eat together anymore. The advent of fast food has somehow short circuited the family meal. But there are many relational advantages to taking the time to eat together. The Israelites knew this.
One of Jesus’ greatest desires, He said, was to eat one last meal with His 12 disciples before He was arrested.
If we add to a sit-down meal the trappings of a feast, it can also add to our enjoyment of life!
Next, David Jeremiah said we should dress up every day like we’re going to a party! I grew up at a time when people dressed up more. I look at old TV shows like Perry Mason and am reminded of this. We even had one suit reserved for going to church and special occasions called our “Sunday best.” Now people just wear a t-shirt and jeans.
I think there’s something to be said for dressing nicely. At work we try to “dress for success.” That is, dress for the job you want rather than the one you have.
In the same way, if we dress nicely, “like we’re going to a party,” maybe we’ll influence our attitude to the one we WANT to have–one of celebration and rejoicing!
One point to remember about Ecclesiastes, it very much has a “the-grave-is-the-end” attitude. For us as Christians, we now know that is not true. In a similar list of commands at the end of Philippians, Paul says,
Our cause for “rejoicing always” is more than just enjoying life while we have it, although that is a VERY GOOD reason to do so. If we center our life on Jesus Christ and the salvation He has bought for us, then we should have TWICE as many reasons to be filled with joy each day.
Start your day with a devotional time, and think about the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Maybe that will help you carry more of a rejoicing attitude throughout the rest of the day?
Pray continually! What does that mean? It sounds a little impractical to me. The Greek word for ‘prayer’ here is the general word that means to direct your thoughts and words toward God. Making God a part of your conversation…that’s prayer!
Our current series at The Summit is on Nehemiah. This week, Pastor J.D. pointed out how much prayer contributed to Nehemiah’s success at rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
When his brother brought him the bad news about the poor condition of the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was very troubled and addressed the issue by prayer and fasting.
When Nehemiah unexpectedly had an opportunity to ask the king for resources, it says he prayed. It was probably one of those quick “breath prayers”.
All during the work in Jerusalem, Nehemiah regularly prayed about the difficulties that arose.
Then at the end, the last thing recorded, both in the book and in the Old Testament, was a prayer by Nehemiah to God.
Nehemiah prayed before he did anything about the problem, he prayed when he was presented with the opportunity to do something about it, and he prayed throughout dealing with the problems until the very end–THAT is praying continually.
Give thanks in all things. Note that it says to give thanks in all circumstances, not necessarily for all circumstances.
Cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” can benefit our Christian walk in many ways. Most especially, remembering to thank God in the middle of difficult situations helps to shift our focus from the problem to God’s goodness and sovereignty, and that can help reduce our worry and anxiety.
Here’s a song that might inspire you as you seek to give thanks ro God:
CONCLUSION:
God commands us to PRAY CONTINUALLY, because He has what we need to deal with the problems of life, but we need to ASK Him.
God commands us to GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, because He knows it will help us maintain a positive attitude and remind us of the good gifts He gives us.
Therefore remember,
Bill's Bible Blog 