“Something to Thank About” 

Dear Faith Family, 

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, (1 Corinthians 1:4). 

I confess, there are a few things in this world for which I am not thankful:  mosquitos, fire ants, and pine beetles (especially when they inhabit pine trees in my yard!) to name a few.  That being said, I am thankful for much in any given day: sunshine, rain, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, turkeys (you knew they would make the list, right?!), and much, much more. 

Paul was also thankful.  In fact, he apparently practiced it as a way of life.  It’s a regular in his writings (Romans 1:8; Ephesians 1:15; Philippians 1:3; Colossians 1:3; and 1 Thessalonians 1:2).  Go ahead, read those verses.  Notice what Paul was thankful for. 

Here’s the one that seems out of place.  Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and addressed any number of problems from divisions in the church, to sexual immorality within the church, to lawsuits between believers, and to multiple abuses present even in the setting of the Lord’s Supper! 

So, what’s out of place?  Well, just like most of his other letters to churches, Paul began with thanksgiving.  Would you look at that (1 Corinthians 1:4)?!  Paul gave thanks for a bunch of divided, abusive sinners!  No he didn’t!  Oh, yes he did!  But why?  What was Paul thankful for? 

He was thankful for the grace of God poured out on the church in Corinth.  Seeing God’s initiative in that body of believers encouraged Paul’s confidence in the continuing work of God and even the finished work of God in that church!  Now that was something to “thank” about! 

Let’s make it a bit more personal.  Are we thankful people?  Like, do we regularly practice thanksgiving?  For the Ephesians?  The Philippians?  The Colossians?  And the Thessalonians?  Undoubtedly, you’ve got some of those people in your life. 

How about the Corinthians?  Got any Corinthians in your life?  You know, sinners.  The ones that can prove difficult to love and maybe even harder to give thanks for.  And yet, Paul looked for and discovered the grace of God in the life and lives of the church at Corinth (of all places)!  Next step?  Give thanks.  How about starting with some of your Corinthians? 

Giving thanks to God, 
Pastor Karl