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Your
Best Word
Rudyard
Kipling at one time was so popular that his writings
were getting ten shillings per word.
A few college students, however, didn't
appreciate Kipling's writings; they facetiously sent
him a letter enclosing ten shillings.
It read, "Please, send us your best
word." They
got back a letter from Kipling stating, "Thanks."
In
the United States of America, we celebrate a national
holiday called “Thanksgiving.”
The origin of the holiday dates back to the
Pilgrims who came to America.
After the survival of their first colony
through the bitter winter, and the gathering of the
harvest, Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony
issued a thanksgiving proclamation in the autumn of
1621. This first thanksgiving lasted three days,
during which the Pilgrims feasted on wild turkey and
venison with their Indian guests.
Years later in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln
made a proclamation establishing the national holiday
of Thanksgiving.
Because
of the many blessings that God has given to each one
of us, our best word is indeed, "Thanks."
When
the Apostle Paul considered the blessings of God, he
said: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord” (1
Timothy 1:12). Consider
carefully the context of Paul’s words of
thanksgiving: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord
who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful,
putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly
a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I
obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in
unbelief. And
the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with
faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a
faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of
whom I am chief.
However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that
in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering,
as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him
for everlasting life" (1Timothy 1:12-16).
The
blessing that made the Apostle Paul especially
thankful was the mercy and grace that he found in
Christ. He acknowledged the error of his ways, but he rejoiced in
the fact that Jesus came into the world to save him as
well as ALL sinners.
That includes YOU and ME, “for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans
3:23). If
we, like Paul, will “believe on Him,” turn from
our sins, and submit our lives to Him through baptism
(immersion) and a life of trusting obedience (Acts
22:16; 1 John 1:7), then we, too, can rejoice in the
mercy and grace of God!
In
light of God’s wonderful blessings through Jesus
Christ, give Him your best word: "Thanks."
And,
allow that gratitude to motivate YOU
to give Him your life -- trusting and obeying Him with
a lifetime of gratitude.
God bless you!
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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