Giving Thanks Always
Tonight at Bible Study, we continued studying Ephesians and one of the topics discussed was giving thanks always. Paul exhorts the Ephesians "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph 5:19-20)
This isn't so much of a problem when you're happy... But always? in everything? How???
This I must say, I've failed miserably... like when I was called a sinner... (yes it's so easy to call yourself that... but it's totally difficult to hear someone else say it even though its so true...), Or the time when I was treated like a servant... (well, I am one - and I should expect that is what people will treat me like - but... yet, again, it is so difficult when you don't feel appreciated or worthy...)
The key is found in verse 18, "Instead, be filled with the Spirit." It is only through God's indwelling can we be set free and rejoice all the things that God allows in our lives. Knowing that nothing happened by chance, but everything is in God's hand and control. When we let go of the "ME" and "MY" rights etc. and allow our heart to be filled with God's Word, then we can give thanks to God, then, even when we're discouraged and nothing seem to go our way, we can sing with the hymnist Horatio Spafford, "It is well, with my soul".
And I love the way the Chinese put verse 19 - 口唱心和的讚美神, roughly translated means "sing with your mouth, harmonise with your heart, praises to God." When our heart is right with God, our whole life will be, for everything is just the overflowing of what's in the heart.
02 Feb 2009
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