Today's devotional was written by Karen Yarnell.
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So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
At my grandson’s favorite water park, a bucket sits suspended in the air while a hose fills it with water. The children all gather around watching, eyes peering up at it. At a certain point, the bucket fills and tilts, dumping the cool, refreshing water, engulfing the children below while squeals abound!
Like the overflowing water from the bucket, the Christian is to be marked by an abundance of thankfulness. And what is the reason for our gratitude?
The root words for thanksgiving and grace are closely linked in the New Testament. Grace describes a gift; specifically, the gift of God’s great love given in Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving is the response to the gift of God, being mindful of God’s grace and responding with gratitude. We receive the gift, freely given BY God, and we respond with thanksgiving, freely given TO God.
The source of our thanksgiving is the goodness of God in Christ, and the characteristic of our thanksgiving is overflowing gratitude. Thanksgiving focuses on God’s kindness, it fills us, and it flows out of us to God and for the blessing of others.
Try the ABCs of thanksgiving individually, as a family, or with your LIFE Group. Take each letter of the alphabet and say out loud a word that describes the Lord and starts with that letter. By the end of the exercise, you will have a heart overflowing with thanksgiving in worship to the Lord.
Prayer:
God, You are Father, Son, and Spirit. Thank You that You are
The root words for thanksgiving and grace are closely linked in the New Testament. Grace describes a gift; specifically, the gift of God’s great love given in Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving is the response to the gift of God, being mindful of God’s grace and responding with gratitude. We receive the gift, freely given BY God, and we respond with thanksgiving, freely given TO God.
The source of our thanksgiving is the goodness of God in Christ, and the characteristic of our thanksgiving is overflowing gratitude. Thanksgiving focuses on God’s kindness, it fills us, and it flows out of us to God and for the blessing of others.
Try the ABCs of thanksgiving individually, as a family, or with your LIFE Group. Take each letter of the alphabet and say out loud a word that describes the Lord and starts with that letter. By the end of the exercise, you will have a heart overflowing with thanksgiving in worship to the Lord.
Prayer:
God, You are Father, Son, and Spirit. Thank You that You are
A- Abundant in love and that we can
B- Believe in You. Thank You that You
C- Created the world and that You Care about us. (Go ahead - Continue with the alphabet.)
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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