NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

JEREMIAH 29:4-7

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

LUKE 17:11-19

SUNDAY REFLECTION

The theme for our Sunday reflection is “Give thanks to God in all things” To give thanks means to express gratitude or appreciation to God. We shall proceed to discuss three reasons for which we must give thanks to God in all things:

1. We must give thanks to God in all things because it is His will for us.
2. We must give thanks to God in all things because He caters for our welfare in unusual circumstances.
3. We must give thanks to God in all things because it is an act of faith.

Firstly, it is important to give thanks to God in all things because it is His will for us. God’s will for us must be obeyed if we desire to please Him and maintain a close and eternal relationship with Him. Paul through his letter to the Christians in Thessalonica admonishes us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Giving thanks to God in all circumstances is not a matter of choice but God’s will which must be done because He is always active in the affairs of His children, it is for this reason we are greatly admonished in 1 Chronicle 16:34 that “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Dear friend, we must not only give thanks to God when things appear to be going on well or when we have our prayers answered. Even in difficult or challenging moments of our lives, we must give thanks to God because our lives are a work in progress which will ultimately end with a testimony of His faithfulness. Although our lives are a work in progress God continues to be gracious every step of the journey therefore it is His will for us to live a life of gratitude.

Secondly, we must give thanks to God in all things because He caters for us in our challenges and unusual circumstances. Jeremiah testified to this fact when he told the Israelites in exile not to be anxious or worried in captivity but “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:4-7). Usually, a person in captivity or in exile goes through hardship or is subjected to harsh conditions in a foreign land. The case of the Israelites was however different, God was with them and assured them of His providence and protection in exile and again instructed them to pray and seek the welfare of their Babylonian masters. Beloved in the Lord, instead of complaining and becoming anxious during challenging times of our lives, let us rather give thanks to the Lord through prayer and songs of praise in all things because God can change our cry to laughter, sorrow to joy, poverty to riches, barrenness to fruitfulness, hopelessness to hope, unemployment to employment even in the most perilous moments or unusual circumstances of our lives. Surely, “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Thirdly, giving thanks to God in all things is a demonstration of our faith in Him which opens other doors of blessings and healing in our lives. God may answer some prayers whiles leaving others unanswered only to test our thankfulness or gratitude. It is for this reason, Jesus said to one of the ten lepers who return to thank Him that “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:17-19). Beloved in the Lord, a man or woman of faith will always give thanks to God in all things as a demonstration of his or her faith because he or she believes that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17). When we give thanks to God in all things as a manifestation of our faith we shall continue to experience healing and blessings from the Lord. In other words, our gratitude to God and faith in Him shall make us well. It is rather an act of ungratefulness when we refuse to show our gratitude for the blessings we receive from God but take delight in complaining about what we lack in life. Again, many of us are worshipping God for our physical needs but immediately we get what we need we walk away like the nine lepers without showing gratitude or baring testimony about the goodness of the Lord. We must thank God not only because of His blessings but also because we have faith in Him as our provider and sustainer. Surely, if He has provided for our needs today, we must be thankful to Him and have faith that He will continually provide as He did for the thankful or appreciative leper.

In summary dear friend in the Lord, we have reflected on three reasons for which we must give thanks to God at all times. We must give thanks to God in all things because It is the will of God to do so, We must give thanks to God in all things because He is always with us even in challenging times and can change our perilous situations into joyful and promising ones, last but not the least, giving thanks to God in all things is a demonstration of our faith which further opens other doors of blessings and healing in our lives. May the Holy Spirit lead us in all things to always live a life of gratitude to the glory of God. Amen.