Thanksgiving for family + friends
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…” Colossians 1:3
Although we’re thankful for the tangible things in our lives, we know that the more important things are our relationships– our family and friends.
It’s inevitable. We’ve heard over and over about the protagonist (or antagonist) in the story who wanted more and more and more things and lost sight of their family or friends and in the end was more alone than ever. And if the story has a good ending, the character figures it out before the end and is willing to risk losing all the material things just to get back the great relationships that might have already been theirs.
Family and chosen family in our friends are priceless. How many times has something happened, good or bad, that we couldn’t wait to let our loved ones know? Or when was the last time you wanted to be cared for or enjoy quality time and you naturally reached out to your family and friends? It’s a need within us!
God didn’t mean for us to be alone. He created us to have each other. But again, as Christians, we know this means so much more.
Because as Christ-followers, we are part of the family of God. This is where we find the deepest and most meaningful relationships, because they are anchored in our most important one – with God. That’s why Paul says, “ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you..” The sweet spirit of fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ is unmatchable. We know what it means to be low and lost and what it means to be redeemed and saved. We understand the difficulties that come with being a Christ-follower and are able to encourage one another when the going gets tough. It’s a wealth that we don’t deserve but that we are able to have in Christ. He has made people who were all separated into one people (Ephesians 2:14, Revelation 7:9).
This is why we share the good news. Because the rest of mankind who doesn’t know God has the same chance we do. Christ died for them as much as for us. We are not in the family of God out of merit, but because we took God’s offered hand of rescue. We are thankful for those who have done the same, but while we have time on this earth, we can’t forget those who don’t know. We want everyone to be our real Family. But like God, we are patient, not wishing anyone should be lost (2 Peter 3:9), but as his servants, we plant and water, knowing that God gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:7). He loves them more than we do – he died for them.
So whether our physical family, our chosen family (friends), or our spiritual Family, we know that we are blessed. And so we give thanks – for our family and friends.
