REASON #22 - Sunday School Calls Individuals To Give Thanks And Praise To God
“No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:18)
Eleanor Doan relates the following story in her book, The Complete Speakers Sourcebook: “Matthew Henry, the famous Bible scholar, was once accosted by thieves and robbed of his purse. That same day he wrote these words in his diary: ‘Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.’”
When a Sunday school teacher once asked her class what they were thankful for, one little boy replied, “My glasses.” He explained, “They keep the other boys from hitting me and the girls from kissing me.”
Thankfulness comes in many different forms for different people. For Matthew Henry, his thankfulness seemed to be unmerited, but for the little boy, it was for the personal benefits his glasses provided.
What are YOU thankful for today? I’m sure you are thankful for the many blessings that God has granted to you and your family. But, are you also thankful for the unpleasant and bad things that happen to you?
In Romans 8:28, Paul reminds us that “...everything works together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Being thankful for all things involves learning to recognize the “good” result that God promises will come from the situation.
Learning to recognize and be thankful for all of God’s blessings...
both good and bad...only comes from a deep personal relationship with God and an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Bible! And, where can you get that knowledge and understanding of the Bible? In Sunday school!
Questions To Think About: What are you thankful for today? Think about the many blessings that God has entrusted to your care. But, also think about some of the bad and unpleasant things that have happened to you. Has there been some “good” that resulted from those situations? Are you now thankful for them?
Prayer Suggestion: Pray to thank God for the Bible.
A Call To Action: Use your social media contacts to remind everyone of God’s continuing love and care. Include a Bible verse or passage, such as the verse at the top of this page.
