thankful heart

Friday, March 28, 2014 (7:41 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. There is always more than one thing to thank You for. Right now it's for the ability and desire to come to You with a thankful heart. Hmm, yes. A truly thankful heart.

Thank You that focusing on You, Your Word and things that go well allows my breathing to change. I get to feel muscles relax that I didn't even know had been tense. You do this in me.

Recognizing meanness when I become aware of it provides me the opportunity to give in to it or to fight against it. Thank You Father for helping me want to steer clear of behaving badly.

I love when Your Word causes me to smile. So often I come to You with nothing particular to say and the next thing I know You have me caught me. Hook, line and sinker!

This morning I find myself reading in Paul's letter to the believers at Colosse. Here he was showing that Jesus is the only real source of power in our life. How I thank You for every reminder of this.

Colossians 2:9-10, “For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ. He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power” (The Living Bible).

I am never ceased to be pleased every single time I find myself smiling, especially when it's brought on by something I read in Your Word. Just now it was Colossians 2:6, “And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust Him, too, for each day's problems; live in vital union with Him.”

I came to this particular letter of Paul's because I searched two words together; thankful heart. The Message reads, “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ – the Message – have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives – words, actions, whatever – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way” (Colossians 3:15-17).

I get to choose. Reading around in this letter I am reminded, “It wasn't so long ago you were doing all that stuff [doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God] and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk” (3:5-8).

I caught myself yesterday. Right in the middle of cursing instead of blessing, I realized what I was doing and I started singing instead. Singing words to a tune I was making up right on the spot. Words that I didn't even believe at the moment. But as I continued singing them, I realized I was singing Truth not anger. And again I smiled. You keep helping me smile.

And even right there. “The word translated 'keep' [used in Philippians 4:7, “His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus”] is a military term that means to keep under guard, like one protected by a sentry. The image is one of a guard marching around the border of our heart and mind to keep out the pressing anxieties of life. This is only promised if we routinely turn every worry and need over to God and develop an attitude of gratitude. When we turn our worries over to the care of God, we will discover His protection and experience the inner peace that passes all understanding” (The Life Recovery Bible Self-protection Colossians 3:1-4).

And here I come back around, full circle to where we began so much earlier. I went back to Your Word searching out “cultivate thankfulness” (The Message) and I settled in at verse 15 of the Easy-to-Read Version. “Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful.”

LET the peace that Christ gives control my thinking. Let. Allow. Permit. It happens for me sometimes without my even noticing. Like yesterday when I sang instead of curse.

YOU are cultivating [growing, developing, working] thankfulness in my heart and I am grateful. Thank You. Continue Your refining work in me most Blessed God. Thank You. I love You. Amen. 

(806 words ~ 9:27 a.m.)