“Sing and make
music from your heart; always thanking God for everything." ~ Ephesians
5:19-20
After being stripped and severely
beaten, the man was thrown into a cell along with more dangerous criminals. His despoiling had left his clothing in
tatters; offering little protection for his wounds and the filth of the prison.
No windows. No way out.
Nothing personal in this tiny room but his own heart beat and rancid
breath.
He was bound differently from
the others: two rings around his neck; one affixed to a chain secured to the
wall. A chain from the second ring reached
his waist with manacles preventing him from raising his hands to his mouth or
lowing his head to his hands.
Not a moment passed when he was free from the irritation of
the rusty chains and the pain of the iron manacles cutting into his wrists and
legs. The lack of adequate nutrition
coupled with their sheer weight (15-18 pounds), eventually rendered his limbs
useless.
His bed was the hard, cold stone floor of the dank, prison
cell.
Food barely sustained life – and was often used as a weapon
of punishment and torture when withheld by guards. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d
bathed. His unkept and matted hair was full
of lice.
They’d separated him from his family, taken his land, then
took his freedom - all to warn the others not to follow him. He knew that prison would be his last home; the
next footsteps in the corridor might be those of the guards taking him away to
his execution.
Separated from friends, unjustly accused, brutally treated –
if ever a person had a right to complain, it was this man, suffering almost forgotten
in an unbearable hellhole. But instead
of complaints, his lips rang with words of praise and thanksgiving.
The man was the Apostle Paul – a man who had learned the
true meaning of thanksgiving even in the midst of great adversity. “Always give thanks for everything, no
matter the circumstances.” (Ephesians 5:19-20) It wasn’t a once-a-year, celebration, but
a daily reality that changed his life and made him a joyful person in every
situation.
Today, ingratitude and thanklessness are too often the
norm. Children forget to thank their
parents for all they do. Common courtesy
is belittled. We take for granted the
way others help us. Mostly, we fail to
thank God for his countless blessings.
Thanksgiving – the giving of thanks to God for all His blessings
- should be a hallmark of our Christian values.
Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly
than an ungrateful heart. And nothing will
do more to restore happiness and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of
appreciation.
Almighty Father, sometimes life gets me down; I
fail to recognize the blessings surrounding me. Open my eyes of my heart, that I might see
clearly the boundless gifts You’ve provided in my life. I’ll start by thanking You for loving me enough
to come to earth and die so we can live together forever. Amen
