An Attitude of Gratitude (continued)

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    Being thankful is more than a suggestion in the Word of God.  It is a direct command, given many times over. Last week we started looking at the book of Colossians and what it has to say to us about gratitude. 
    We looked at Colossians 2:7 briefly last week.  Today I'd like to pick up there again.  In the Christian Standard Bible, the phrase that instructs us to be thankful is translated, "Overflowing with thankfulness."  The picture is of a river overflowing its banks. What a force a flood can be!  When we are overflowing with anything, it cannot be held back.  We can't stop it.  Paul is instructing the believers at Colossi (and all believers since) to be so full of thanksgiving, or gratitude, that it overflows into everything that you do.  
    An interesting twist to a life of gratitude, is that a person overflowing with gratitude is also a giver. Just like a flooded river gives life to the farmlands on its banks, the overflow of gratitude in the heart of a Christian is life-giving to those around them.  This analogy pricked my heart and I had to share it with you!
    On a similar vein, did you know that the Greek word for Communion (The Lord's Table) is eucharista? You may have heard Communion referred to as Eucharist.  That Greek word means thankfulness.  We celebrate Thanksgiving every week in our observance of this beautiful sacrament! How beautiful and how appropriate! But there is more!
    What are we thankful for? Notice the middle of eucharista is "char." The Greek word for grace is charis. So Thanksgiving and Grace are intertwined. Even the Spanish word for Thank You is gracias (grace).   
    Putting all of this together, we see the command from Paul to be "overflowing with gratitude for God's grace."  You see, every single one of us deserves eternal death. But for the grace of God, we would be doomed, with no hope. 
    By the grace of God, He looked at us with favor and sent Jesus.  Because of Jesus, a way was made for us to live! Not just now, but for all of eternity. We (those covered by the blood) have everything to be thankful for, no matter what our earthly circumstances are! We are to live lives of gratitude, because, by the grace of God, the sacrifice of Jesus allows us to stand righteous before a Holy God.  If we are overflowing with this gratitude for God's grace, we cannot help but give: we give Thanks, we give love, we give grace, we give all that God calls us to give in response to this gift given to us.  
    Join me this week in praising and thanking God for His grace! We have everything to live for, all because of God's amazing grace!

💓Heather Sparks💓

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