Give Thanks!

In 1 Thssalonians 5:16-24 the Bible tells us: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil."

We live in a world that is full of ingratitude. Every one of us has so much to give the Lord thanks for. We have the privilege of living in one of the most democratic countries in the world. The ordinary Canadian lives like a king in comparison to other nations. What we call the poverty line in Canada is far from most of us. I recall a T.V. talk show that included reaction from the audience. One person phoned in to say that his three year old had for his bed the box that the coloured T.V., which the family had just purchased, came in. Strange, isn't it, that we cannot perceive what is an extravagance from what is a necessity.

Giving thanks is something God wants His children to do.("this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"). A Christian is one who should try not to quench (i.e. "put out") the Spirit's fire in the soul. Willful sin is one of the chief ways we can quench God's Holy Spirit deep within. So does harbouring a dislike of another person. Are you unable to forgive someone? The apostle Paul wrote, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ Jesus forgave you."

Let's be thankful for this is what a Christian should be like. When we think for the many blessings God has given to us both spiritually and physically our heart will be
like Jesus our Lord who forgave us and puts a new song of thanksgiving deep within.