Thankful for the People in Our Journey

 

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand yin the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV).

 

The Apostle Paul uses every one of his letters to the churches found in our New Testament to express his thanksgiving for the people he had met and ministered to along his missionary journeys. Today’s reading is one of those “thank you notes.” I suppose that’s one of the hallmarks practiced by another one of my favorite people, Barbara Bush. Her quote is attached here also: “Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people – your family, friends, and co-workers, even strangers you meet along the way.” With our current culture the way it is, perhaps it’s time to reevaluate whether we are thankful to people whom God sends into our lives. The Bible teaches us to love both God and our neighbors. The daily practice of this love includes thanks both to our heavenly Father and to the people around us.

 

When the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, his main objective was to explain God’s eternal purpose and grace. He sought to share with his readers God’s high goals for the church. Yet against the background of this monumental task, the apostle remembers to say how thankful he is for the ordinary believers in the city of Ephesus. He compliments them for their devotion to Jesus and for their love for all God’s people. He encourages and prays for them.

 

I wonder if we are overdue in expressing our gratitude to those people God has put “in our way”? This is a good time to correct that if we are!