Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday November 23, 2011

Today's note on Thanksgiving Day is serious in that being truly thankful is one of the keys to success be the entity an entire civilization as in Western, a nation as in America, a church as in you name it or a family and certainly an individual.

Romans chapter 1 gives convincing evidence that the first civilization in Noah’s day failed due the phrase, "neither were thankful" and the further evidence the Empire of Rome at its beginning stages during the era of Jesus and the Apostles was deep in throes of deeply held unthankfulness. Further warning came prophetically in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 with the populace at large being utterly corrupted and an attitude of ingratitude. Unthankful is the way Paul put it.

In the formative days of Rome, some 45 years prior to first advent, Cicero, a defender of the republic to the death wrote, "A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all others virtues." How are we who profess to love the Lord Jesus to avoid the subtle trap of unthankfulness? Though many find it strange, the key to accept the biblical truth that what we are thankful for is a fundamental key. The key is found in a compound in Colossians 2:7 "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." (Underline mine).

Christ as the foundation of our life for time and eternity, built up in Him, (growing in Christ) and being stablished means we as Christ in that we settled and not given to swaying with every new wind of doctrine, but abiding in true doctrine as it has been taught. Being thankful therein is simply being thankful for that which is not susceptible to the stock market, the ebb and flow of history, politics and a basket full of other things.

I heard a woman say in the super market to the cashier, "Well, we sure don't have much to thank anybody for this year." The statement while well-meaning demonstrates total lack of the true understanding of the meaning and reason for a day set aside to offer thanksgiving.

When are overly thankful for things that can and will pass, what will we be thankful for when they are gone? It is good to thank God for His provision. It is better to thank God for God.

This year more than any in recent memory I sense a woe is me attitude. This should not be most especially among people who name Jesus Christ as personal savior. Learn to "abound therein."

H.U. Westermayer wrote: "The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." Happy Thanksgiving.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2011 Use with credit.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE