The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
Thanksgiving 2020
Part 3 - The Most Thankful Person Who Ever Lived
Doubtless the most thankful person who ever lived was our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospels depict our Savior's gratitude to His Father on several occasions.
"And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down" (John 6:11).
Our Lord knew better than anyone the reality of human dependence on God. Indeed, without relinquishing His divinity as God the Son, the Lord Jesus nevertheless lived His earthly life as a man. He perfectly modeled what it means to be a human being, which means He lived by faith in His Father's presence, provision, and power. "The Son can do nothing of Himself… I live by the Father" (John 5:19; 6:57). Thus, He lived in the natural response of thanksgiving, based on keen awareness of God's promised supply, and His need for it.
"God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father" (Galatians 4:6).
"As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me" (John 6:57).
As Christ lived by His Father, so believers live by Christ. This includes His thankful heart revealed in us through the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As the character, nature, and way of the Lord Jesus is progressively revealed in us, gratitude will be a chief expression of such grace. We live by Christ, which means we give thanks by Him. The most grateful human being who ever lived now spiritually dwells within us, meaning we cannot help but live thankfully as we respond to His presence and working. "Rooted and built up in Him… abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:7).
Every believer realizes our need to give thanks more and better. This means we need to grow in what it means to live by our Savior's abiding and dynamic presence in our hearts. The "Most Thankful" will lead us to be more thankful as He lives in us, and as we follow His example of realizing our Heavenly Father's abundant provision, and our complete need and dependence…
"Without Me, ye can do nothing."
(John 15:5)
"By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."
(Hebrews 13:15)
Weekly Memory Verse
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
(I John 1:3)
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