The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have a Bible Edge
I Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
If any person gives thanks only for those things that they think they deserve, there will not be much giving of thanks in that life. If all an individual gives thanks for are those things that they deem to be good, it is a clear-cut violation of today’s verse.
The theme this month for these devotions is “Lessons learned from Great People.” Paul was a great person. God used Him to write much of the New Testament. In one of the books that contain his writings today’s verse is recorded. Therein is a tremendous two-fold lesson.
The first is In every thing give thanks… In every thing. Things that are good, things that are bad, things expected, things unexpected, things that are welcomed and things unwelcomed. Every thing! How many times, for example, have you been briefly delayed from leaving a place to drive to another place? Perhaps you forgot your keys, had a flat tire, or some other unexpected issue cropped up delaying your departure. Years ago, this happened to my wife and I after church. Some things came up and we were delayed about twenty minutes before leaving for home. As we came near the interstate that we always take there was a massive multi-car traffic accident. The accident was so recent that no emergency vehicles were on the scene yet. It had happened moments before our arrival. If we had left church at our normal time, we probably would have been involved in it. We have learned to thank our Father in Heaven for the delays. Too many times things like this have happened. Perhaps in Heaven the Lord will show us the things He protected us from by “upsetting” our plans. In every thing give thanks…
The second lesson from this great man, and taught by many, is found in the second part of this verse. …For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. No one can relay to another all of God’s will for them, for some of it is individual and private. But there are some things found in Scripture that are universally said to be God’s will for all. One is this thing of …In every thing give thanks…. It seems that many today have a challenging time saying thank you for anything to anybody, especially to the Lord. Let this be said, it is impossible to say thank you too much. Showing gratitude to others is a dying art. When was the last time you sent someone a letter or card for the express purpose of letting them know how thankful you are for them? Or a call, text, email, or even a smile and a heartfelt articulation of “Hey, thank you!”
So many want to know the private personal will of God for their lives. But let it be said, if anyone will not obey the open universal will of God like the one in today’s verse, why then would God give them the private personal will of His for them? Good question, is it not?
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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