I’m not letting go of my “thankfulness” theme that seems to have permeated my recent devotions. Tomorrow begins the last month of the year, which is always a crazy, fast-paced time for many people, and a time of loneliness and discouragement for others. Most of us don’t escape December unscathed by stress or anxiety.
So as we depart November, I am once again reminding us to “be thankful,” with a Scripture that I have tried to live by, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” [Col 3:17]
I don’t know if I would call this my “life verse,” but it a lot more than just a part of my signature line on my emails. It has driven my life for many years. Paul had reminded us in this section of Colossians 3 to let Christ’s peace rule in our hearts and to let His word dwell in us richly. He told us to teach and admonish each other with wisdom and to sing songs with gratitude in our hearts.
Then it is as if he runs out of specifics and just reminds us that it doesn’t matter what we are doing, whether acting or speaking, whatever it is, it is all to be done in the name of the LORD Jesus and with the giving of thanks to our Father.
“Whatever you do….” That pretty much covers everything you do. Whether in a church or secular setting doesn’t make any difference. It is not the setting in which we are working that matters, it is the motivation of the heart that God sees. People who do all in the name of the LORD Jesus while they work in ministry jobs are no more pleasing to God than those who do the same in their white color or blue color jobs.
It doesn’t matter if you are a housewife or househusband, if you are retired, in the military, at work in an office or cleaning service or behind the counter in a burger den. It only matters whom you are trying to please, whom you are honoring by your integrity and honesty. And by your “giving of thanks to God the Father.”
