Colossians 3:17 NKJV, Psalm 136:1
“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
“Oh, give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.”
Paul, in his letter to the church in Colossi, opens the chapter with a presumption that they have been raised in Christ. That means they have been forgiven for their sins and relieved of the death sentence that accompanies all sin. They must set their minds on things above and not the creature comforts of life. He shares an unusual but divine blueprint that, if followed, will propel them to give thanks.
The blueprint will regulate their thoughts, actions, and behaviors, including things to do and things to avoid. He tells them that they are “the elect of God, holy and beloved,” that they are to “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
The truth is that it is not easy to give God thanks in all things. The temporal things in life, the things that please the flesh, are at war against the spirit. Paul understood the struggle the Colossians’ faced, so he encourages his readers to give thanks to God no matter what they were going through, to set their minds on things that transcend the earth’s temporal enticements,
The blueprint for giving thanks in all things is the word of Christ. Paul’s readers, both then and now, are told to let Christ saturate them with wisdom, then to teach and to admonish each other. Paul teaches that you can correct people sternly, but in a nurturing and loving way with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. It’s done with love, which Paul calls the “bond of perfection.”
Whatever you do, whatever you say, wherever you go, you can give thanks to God the Father by sharing the love and the concern of the Lord Jesus.
“Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good. His mercy endures forever!”
Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at Goodwill Baptist Church and is the spiritual leader of the Evangelical Church of God, both in the Bronx, Chief Chaplain of the NYS Chaplain Workers Taskforce, the producer and host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Monday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook Live, author Matters of Faith: The Book (Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The eBook at www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177), and President/CEO of The JLR Company/J Loren R Consulting, LLC for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting (718-328-8096).
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