Out of all the people in my life, My Mimi (my grandmother) has to be the most gracious. She’ll give you the coat off her back, the food one her plate, and her last piece of double mint gum. Her life is really a life of gratitude. What is it that has caused such a grateful heart in her life? The answer is Jesus. It is truly the grace of God that causes a heart of gratitude.
Colossians 3:16-17 tells us, “16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 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.
Why did Paul encourage the church in Colossae to sing with gratitude in their hearts? He reminded them to, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.” When we have the message of Christ dwelling in our hearts, we will sing with a heart of gratitude. May we continue to sing about how wonderful and great our savior is. I believe that the best songs ever written are songs that are Christ-centered. It’s time to remind ourselves and one another of the message of Christ.
The Scriptures tell us, “Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated” (Deuteronomy 34:7). There was something spiritual that happened in the life of Moses that effected his physical body. What caused Moses’ eyes to not become dim? How can we be like Moses and have our eyes not grow dim?
I love what Mathew Henry’s Commentary’s explains, “There was no decay in the strength of his body, nor in the vigour and activity of his mind; his understanding was as clear, and his memory as strong as ever.”
Hebrew 11:27 explains, “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen” What did Moses see? It says that he endured by, “seeing Him who is unseen.” There is something that happens when we see Jesus. As a see Christ we are changed from glory to glory. Just as Moses’ eyes were not dim by seeing God, may our eyes grow stronger as we see Jesus through the Scriptures. What are you seeing today? Have you become stressed out and anxious about all the duties of the day? Or are you looking to Christ with a heart of gratitude for everything you have?
This word for gratitude in Colossians 3:16 is the Greek word, “Charis” which means grace. As we thank the Lord for all that He has done we are to do it with grace in our hearts. This Thanksgiving I encourage you to take five minutes out of your day to just sit and thank the Lord. Pray, read your Bible, or listen to a worship song. This can be just a quiet time with God to appreciate everything He has done. Just take time and be still and let the message of the Cross dwell in you. Psalms 46:10 tells us, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Courage With Grace Ministries 