Giving Thanks For The People God Has Put In Your Life
Philippians 1.3-11
It is Thanksgiving month. It is a national time of giving thanks. We see the Judeo Christian roots in our nation in this holiday which was originally a holy day. Began officially by a proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, he really just penned into law what Americans had been doing since the Pilgrims celebrated that first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Now as we look back on President Lincoln’s proclamation we realize it was to preserve the original intention of this Holy Day in writing.
We need to recapture the meaning of this holy day in our nation. We, as believers, need to because if we don’t noone else will. A new book was reviewed this week on the radio, WCBS 880. It is about the valleys and mountains of life. The author told of how in the valleys we need to be thankful for all the good things we have. That helps lift us out. However the LORD was never mentioned, not once. Thanksgiving is being expressed without Him today and it is empty and pointless. We need to recapture the meaning by celebrating what it really is. It is already a law. Let’s make it a celebration!
My daughters invited their cousins to come to celebrate. So from Albany, Philadelphia and New England travel plans are being made. Lucy will have just returned from China, LORD willing, and we will gather together to ask the LORD’s blessings and celebrate and give Thanks to God Almighty for His goodness to us. We have a lot to celebrate!
Too often we allow circumstances to dictate our giving of thanks. When things are not all we want them to be we can focus on the little negative stuff and miss huge blessings in our lives. We can be facing the first Thanksgiving without a loved one. This can hurt deeply, but it is therapeutic to give thanks. Even in the Valley of the Shadow of Death we have much to be thankful for. The LORD is with us. It is hard, as I wrote to someone this week, even if we know someone we love is with the LORD, because we are without them. But Jesus is with us and for that we can give thanks.
One of the blessings we can overlook and therefore never give thanks for in a tangible way are the people the LORD has placed in our lives.
Paul wrote this letter from a Roman prison. He had a lot to complain about. There are no complaints in this letter because of the joy in his life. Do everything, he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, without grumbling or complaining.
1. Thank God for the People Who Have been a Blessing In Your Life
v. 3-4
Paul was thanking God. Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!
I thank My God is a phrase we should utter often. It is God Who has blessed us.
He has blessed us with good godly people in our lives! He has blessed us with people who love us and care for us… people who care about our souls!
Thank God for the extra special people who have been a blessing to you in life’s most difficult times. Paul knew lots of people. He helped start many local congregations in major cities throughout the Roman Empire. The Philippian Church was his sweetheart church. It caused him no problems we know of and it helped in his time of need. (4.10-19)
There are people in your life who are faithful. They have been faithful friends. Tell them this Thanksgiving that you thank God for them and then tell them why. That is what Paul, the apostle, was doing here.
2. Express Appreciation to Those Dear Folks V.3
He did what He could. In chains, he wrote- dictated a letter… under house arrest. He was limited. We are not. We can do a lot!
Think of all we could do! Telephone, Computer, Text, Make something meaningful…
He specifically thanked them for blessing his soul.
There are people you know who always bring joy to your heart when you think of them. It is time to express appreciation to them. Begin by thanking God and then…
3. Speak From The Heart
That is tough for those who tend to speak off the top of their heads, or off the tip of their tongues.
Let those who have been a blessing to you know it.
Let the inner feelings and meditations of the heart come out for these folks.
Paul did throughout this letter. It is the most affectionate letter he wrote. He was a man’s man. Tentmaker, apostle, shipwreck survivor, got beaten and stoned and got up afterwards and went back to the city.
But he had a gentle side and he spoke from his heart to this church who had meant so much to him.
4. Here are some ideas
Write a letter to someone who has had a spiritual impact on your life and whom the LORD has used to make you a better Christian. As I am preparing this a person comes to mind for me. Every time I am with this person they challenge me! He will get a letter. I also will take him out for lunch soon.
Write to your family members, or make a card or send a note or say the words. We often take them for granted. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Thanks God for them!
If they live close by make them their favorite dish. Bring something to them you know they will like.
Do something for them to help them out… something they would appreciate.
5. Continue to seek to be the kind of people like the Philippians
This church loved Paul the apostle and they loved one another. This is the mark of belonging to Jesus.
Be concerned about the souls of people. We are to care for the bodies and souls of people. Care for the body is a lot easier than caring for someone’s soul. This takes prayer and work and ongoing effort. We are a community of faith. We need each other and we should look out for one another. Keep on loving for love covers a multitude of sins.
Be generous. Give to those in need. Support the church and missions. Give yourself fully the work of the LORD.
We’ll be reading through the rest of this book up to Thanksgiving. Look for the LORD to speak to you from His Word on how to grow in grace and become more like Him. The Philippian Church reflected Christ.
Bring joy to those serving with you.
Be faithful to the LORD.
Psalm 103.1-14
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