This past week brought about the observation of an annual event we refer to as Thanksgiving.  Undoubtedly, much of the usual food items have been consumed and I’m fairly certain that many opportunities were taken to share with one another what they’re thankful for.  With all this in mind, have you taken the time to consider the spiritual aspects of thanksgiving?  Perhaps a few of you have, but in case you haven’t, let me share a couple of reasons Christians should be, of all people, the most thankful!!

While it may seem unnecessary to ask, I must, “Are you thankful for your salvation?”  Paul makes it clear to the church at Colossae that he was thankful to God for making it possible for them to enter into the Kingdom of His Beloved Son.  If we have been baptized into Christ, we have entered into the Kingdom of Christ.  Now, another “must ask” question, “Do we share the same sentiment as Paul”; are we thankful for our position in the Kingdom? 

How we are able to enter this kingdom is something else we should be thankful for, and that is, victory over the penalty of sin.   In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he spoke of death and its sting, demanding to know where its victory was.  The fact of the matter is that victory is ours through Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf.  The salvation for which we are thankful is dependent upon His sacrifice and is simply one more thing to be thankful for.  Are you thankful for Jesus’ love and sacrifice for us? 

Let’s now look at the gift of life.  Again, Paul has a way of sharing the truth in a special way.  He writes, “And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven all our transgressions.” (Colossians 2:13)  God, rich in mercy (Eph 2:4) looks upon us in our sin, seeing the despair of our situation, He forgives us when we’ve been made alive together with Christ (Rom 6:3-5).  Let’s always be thankful for the truly and most meaningful things.

Copyright © 2009, Nolan P. Rutter