Be Thankful For Treasured Individuals

Have you thanked God for all of the treasured individuals He has placed in your life? Steph encourages us to be thankful for those people and to be someone that others are thankful for!

Who Are You Thankful For?

If I asked you who brings a smile to your face when you think about them, who you regularly thank the Lord for bringing into your life, I’m sure a number of people would come to mind. Your spouse. Your children. Your BFF.

And if these individuals are fellow believers in Jesus, the bond is even stronger.

In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul puts it this way:  ^“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1. 4-9 ESV)

All Have Sinned

The Christians in Corinth must have been a pretty special group. Don’t you think? They had everything they needed to live a holy and righteous life. Paul said they were “not lacking in any gift” and he was referring to spiritual gifts. The book goes on to talk a lot about some of these gifts.

And yet … a closer examination of this book reveals that all was not well.

In the very next verse of chapter one, the author refers to the divisions within the Corinthian church. Not only did division among believers mark this congregation but also sexual sin and pride. Oh, my! Things weren’t so perfect after all.

Now let’s think about those special people in our life, those we thank God for repeatedly.

Are they perfect? They aren’t.

Have they ever blown it? They have. (How do I know? Romans 3:23 says that “all have sinned” and that includes even the most loving and kind people we know.)

Be Thankful For Treasured Individuals

Have they ever disappointed us? They likely have.

And yet, can we thank God for them? We can—and we should.

Do they have everything they need to live as God calls them to? If they’re believers in Jesus, the answer is yes.

If they mess up yet again, will the Lord remain faithful and declare them “guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”? Again, if they’re genuine disciples, the answer is a resounding yes.

How about us? Are we perfect? No. Have we made a mess of things, disappointed others, and perhaps committed sins we would be embarrassed if anyone found out about? Yes, yes, and yes.

But do you know what? I’m sure there are people who thank the Lord for each of us as well. I don’t know about you, but I find that pretty amazing—and humbling. I am challenged to do better, to live increasingly obedient to God’s Word.

God Is Faithful

Let’s consider the truths of the opening verses of 1 Corinthians and allow them to encourage our heart.

There is no better reason to be thankful for our brothers and sisters in Christ than knowing God has given them grace in Christ Jesus. And, as His followers, the same is true of us.

Grace has been explained as “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.” And that is what He made available to us.

These verses in 1 Corinthians examine some of those riches.

The speech and knowledge the author of this book is talking about is true teaching about the Lord and what it means to be His follower. We have that in the Scriptures. Plus, there are many learned and wise pastors and teachers who help us understand the Bible better.

He makes gifts available to us that will benefit not only us but also those He brings into our life. We can rejoice that all we need will be available to us until the Lord returns.

Jesus Himself will sustain us until that time. Can you imagine? That little phrase blows me away.

The last verse we looked at from 1 Corinthians states that “God is faithful.” Sometimes our closest friends aren’t faithful to do what they’ve promised. Sometimes, for whatever reason, we aren’t either. But that can never be said of God. He will fulfill every promise and remain faithful throughout all eternity.

Let’s rejoice in that fact today and ask the Holy Spirit to make us individuals for whom others will give thanks, not for our honour and glory but for His.

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