Thanksliving 2013
Nov 25, 2009
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:2b-10
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Devotion:
It’s Thanksgiving time again. I admit it. I have not felt very
thankful recently. In fact, I have been becoming bitter toward some
things and some people in my life. If you read those last few sentences you can see my problem. I, I, I, Me, My, my self pity and selfishness have been quite visible.
However, these words of Paul have been on my heart. God has been
trying to blast through the wall of bitterness and selfishness in my
life. God has declared that today is the day of my salvation. I may not feel like it, but I know its true God loves me. God loves me and you and there is nothing we can do about it.
Look at everything that Paul suffered in the service of the Lord. Look at how much we have suffered in the service of ourselves. It is time to clean the slate. We, powered by the love of God in Christ Jesus, can become new creatures. We can trade our sorrow and bitterness, for God’s joy and love.
I know it in my mind that if I know Christ I know everything that I need to know. However, my heart needs to hear that message also. Let us open our hearts to receive what God has already given.
The gift we need we won’t find on Black Friday, or wrapped in brightly colored paper under a perfectly decorated Christmas tree. The gift we need, the gift that we can be truly thankful for has already ours. All we need to do is unwrap it. I am going to start to open my gift tonight, will you join me?
It’s Thanksgiving time again. I admit it. I have not felt very
thankful recently. In fact, I have been becoming bitter toward some
things and some people in my life. If you read those last few sentences you can see my problem. I, I, I, Me, My, my self pity and selfishness have been quite visible.
However, these words of Paul have been on my heart. God has been
trying to blast through the wall of bitterness and selfishness in my
life. God has declared that today is the day of my salvation. I may not feel like it, but I know its true God loves me. God loves me and you and there is nothing we can do about it.
Look at everything that Paul suffered in the service of the Lord. Look at how much we have suffered in the service of ourselves. It is time to clean the slate. We, powered by the love of God in Christ Jesus, can become new creatures. We can trade our sorrow and bitterness, for God’s joy and love.
I know it in my mind that if I know Christ I know everything that I need to know. However, my heart needs to hear that message also. Let us open our hearts to receive what God has already given.
The gift we need we won’t find on Black Friday, or wrapped in brightly colored paper under a perfectly decorated Christmas tree. The gift we need, the gift that we can be truly thankful for has already ours. All we need to do is unwrap it. I am going to start to open my gift tonight, will you join me?
Prayer: Great and mighty God, thank you for the gift. Cleanse us of all our selfishness. Put within us a clean and thankful heart. Help us glorify your name by the way we live our lives. Make us a thankful people. Amen.
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