And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3.15 Paul offers a wonderful admonition to the church at Colosse and to us as well when he said, "let the peace of God rule in your hearts”. He goes on to encourage us, as the bride of Christ, denoting we are called into one body. We are not to be individuals scurrying about with our own agendas, but rather individuals called to make up one single entity for the Lord Jesus Christ to fulfill His good pleasure in the life we now live.
In the last portion of the verse, Paul makes a short yet profound statement. It is a statement that he shares multiple times in various ways and nomenclature:
“...and be ye thankful.”
During the past week, my family and I have been attending a Bible Conference in Montana. As the Lord would have it from the opening sermon, the topics seemed to revolve around thankfulness and having a grateful heart and mind for Christ. Thankfulness is reflected in the actions we exhibit in our appreciation for Christ and in many ways, it is our actions toward one another that demonstrate this. Our gratitude for our Savior is revealed by how we interact and treat fellow members of His body, that ‘one body’ which we are called thereunto.
An important issue to examine as we begin will be our thankfulness for the Simple things in life. How often do we kneel in prayer just to thank the Lord for a safe night's sleep, for electricity, running water, clean clothes or the heating and cooling of our homes? What about the air we breath, the warmth of the sun upon our face or cool, refreshing breezes? A loving pet or a dear friend willing to lend an ear or a shoulder to lean on? Are we grateful that the car we drive starts...on the first try? These are probably some of the simple things which many of us take for granted on a daily basis. The Lord’s good grace, provision and benevolence should be reflected by our heartfelt gratitude and love for Him and revealed in the grace we extend toward others.
Another aspect of our thankfulness is in the Sacrificial gift made for our lives. Imagine the cost that was paid for our redemption and salvation so that we might enjoy the promise of eternity in Heaven. Think of the horrific suffering and the excruciating pain endured by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on our behalf so that we could be reconciled unto the Father. Ponder the thought of what it was like as the Lord removed His robe of royalty and donned the covering of flesh so that He, in all ways, could faithfully pay the full price for our sins and crimes against the Holy Creator God. Sometimes after years of being saved, the power of the "God Moment" that compelled us to fall to our knees confessing Jesus Christ as Lord tends to weaken and fade, growing cold and mechanical (I pray it never grows old). We should re-visit the place of our salvation often so that the memory of that life-changing moment remains fresh and vibrant within our hearts. It was then that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit revealed to us that the sacrificial death of Christ covered the multitude of our sins, thus granting access into an eternal life in Heaven for all who believe.
Here is a thought to depart with today regarding our thankfulness. Consider if you will the aspect of Supply. What if you awoke this morning and discovered that the only things you had were those things that you had thanked the Lord for...yesterday? What would remain in our lives today that had been there...yesterday? It is overwhelming to think of what the Lord provides for us on a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute and even a second-by-second basis! Indeed, He gives life and provides salvation and we should never take either of these tremendous blessings for granted. The Lord also provides air, water, clothing, food, soap, transportation, friends, family, sunlight, rain, wind, warmth, coolness, sight...the list is endless.
Friends, we are privileged members of a diverse group of people drawn from every corner of the world, called into the body of Christ through the precious gift of Christ on the cross. We are in this together and together is where we should remain. We must always remain focused so that our hearts are ruled by God, understanding that all we do reflects our gratitude for His abundant blessings and His gift of life and honors Him for His majesty and glory.
Thankfulness, a quality and characteristic of the Christ, exercised by the saint for the Simple things, the Sacrificial gift and the Supply He daily gives to all. Beloved, what if we arose from bed this morning and had only that which we thanked God for yesterday? Would we even have a bed? “...and be ye thankful.”
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