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Be thankful like Jesus Christ!
As Christians we have no choice about being thankful. It is commanded of us to do so. This week many people will gather with family and friends to enjoy each other and partake of a lot of delicious food together. Thursday is a day we recognize as Thanksgiving. But as Christians Thanksgiving is not a day, but rather a way of life. Being thankful for all the good blessings that come from God should be second nature to us. Not just for the food we receive but for every blessing our health, families, friends, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The word thankfulness is mentioned 73 times in the New Testament, 20 times in the gospels. Christ left a perfect example of how we need to always be thankful to God.
In Luke 10:13-23 Jesus gives thanks for the wise and the prudent who rejected him, and, in the text, he gives thanks to those who received him as babes. Sadly, there are those today who feel that they are wiser than God. God really don’t need those who change the truth of his word, to discourage those that are true followers Christ. This reference would be to those who feel that they know better how to serve God than the Savior. One’s heart must be prepared to follow God, or they will not follow his teachings. Many people want the security of salvation without making a commitment to follow the example Christ set. The word Christian means to be Christ like. And Christ was always thankful.
Jesus gave thanks before feeding the 5000. Matt. 15:36 tells us, And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. Jesus understood the need and he also understood the lack of food available, and he prayed to one who could change those circumstances. We also need to use this example to give thanks and pray before meals big or small.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he thanked God for always hearing his prayers, even before they were answered. In John 11:41-42 it says, Jesus had a lot of confidence in how God would hear and answer prayers, do we? We must believe that God can and will hear our prayers or they won’t get any higher than the ceiling.
And finally in Matt. 26:26-30, Jesus gave thanks at the last supper with his disciples. He knew his time of crucifixion was at hand and he expressed gratitude to his heavenly father. Being thankful when everything is going good in this life is easy. Being thankful when we don’t understand or when we can’t see the outcome is all together something different. Jesus was thankful always, you see a thankful heart is not controlled by our circumstances in this life, but rather by the one who gives us eternal life, Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5 reads, Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ.
Robby Cable
Providence Church of Christ
