Thanksgiving and Prayer. Colossians 1:3 A common response to meeting or hearing about other "saints and faithful brethren" is giving thanks. When we encounter or receive news of others of "like precious faith," thanking God for them is a natural reaction. We silently acknowledge God's divine work in other men and women, and we are eager to learn about their well-being. The prayer of thanks remains sincere when we hear of the faith others have placed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whenever we think of God, believers give thanks. “Saints in Christ Jesus” are so grateful to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the privilege of being part of His family. We share in the blessings of His grace and the new life He offers to everyone who comes to Him through faith. There is a duty to be part of God's family because we are in a household of faith. The joys and burdens of living as a spiritual family are reasons to thank and praise God.
When we pray for others, our attention is not on ourselves, “Give me, bless me, help me,” but on the spiritual health and well-being of those we bring before God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through our Lord Jesus, every good and perfect gift comes from the Father.
Sometimes, we don’t enjoy reading the Bible and praying, and answers to our prayers don’t seem to come. In such times, we must keep praying, even if we don’t feel joy. When we don’t feel like praying or listening to God’s word, it’s when we need it most. Just like we don’t always feel happy washing our face and hands, we need the cleansing of God’s word and the strength He gives when we pray and thank Him.
When I am at work, the name of a place or person often comes to mind. That is when God draws my attention to something to pray about for people in a distant place. I ask that God, in His great grace, grant what they need to be successful in their efforts for Him, and then I thank Him for them. I am grateful that I know them as being earnestly engaged in the ongoing work of the Lord, or I thank Him that I came to know them in the past. Out of all the people in the world, we were united through God's saving grace. We both have experienced the blessing of being called to live by faith.
Other names come to mind: my grandchildren. They are called to be righteous, and I pray they remain committed to righteousness. I thank God for them and pray they will all be saved and truly love the Lord. In my mind, I see them studying hard to succeed, and in my heart, I pray that they become people of God who obey His Word, not just successful in the world.
Family members come to mind like a photo album filled with those I love deeply. I thank God for each of them, for what I see in them, and for the good reports about their actions and achievements. I pray that I can be sure they will be in God’s family someday. I am grateful that they walk in the light as righteous, honorable people, but I long for proof of spiritual light and love for God in their hearts and lives.
There are gatherings of people in the Lord's name, most of whom I hardly know. I thank God for their testimony and dedication to the truth, sharing the Gospel in their communities, and worshipping the Father in spirit and truth during their meetings. I thank God for those older individuals who have been faithful and the newer ones who have joined the group.
I thank God for my wife, who is faithful and true, and whose love for me has always been unquestioned. I am grateful for her service to God and His people, and for the many valuable lessons she has taught me. Her grace, contentment, enthusiasm, and willingness to connect with others have blessed many of us. I have many reasons to thank God for all His blessings and for my Christian sisters and brothers, who are fellow members of the body of Christ.