Col.2:7 – rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is one of the great American holidays marked by thankfulness to the Lord because of His abundant blessing upon our lives. His blessings have been characterized as overflowing and abundant, our response is a thanksgiving meal that pictures God’s abundance. So this year when you are stuffed with turkey and overflowing with dressing remember where this comes from, the overflowing blessing of the Lord. Here is the definition of the word periseuo which is the word abounding in today’s verse.
Abounding – overflowing
“to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous; also (transitively) to cause to superabound or excel: — (make, more) abound, (have, have more) abundance (be more) abundant, be the better, enough and to spare, exceed, excel, increase, be left, redound, remain (over and above).”
If you search the scriptures you can see this characteristic of the Lord everywhere. There is the boat sinking load of fish at Peter’s calling, there are the twelve baskets overflowing with leftovers after feeding 5000 hungry men, and there is the barrels of water turned into wine at the wedding in Cana. Barclay has some interesting observations about thanksgiving.
“The distinguishing mark of the true church is an abounding and overflowing gratitude. Thanksgiving is the constant and characteristic note of the Christian life. As J. B. Lightfoot put it in his commentary, ‘Thanksgiving is the end of all human conduct, whether observed in words or works.’ The one concern of Christians is to tell in words and to show in life their gratitude for all that God has done for them in nature and in grace.”
So here we are approaching Thanksgiving in 2024. What will your Thanksgiving Day look like this year? Will your table be overflowing with turkey, dressing, and all of your family favorites? Hopefully our hearts will also be filled to overflowing with the goodness of God. Here are some scriptures to munch on as we prepare our hearts to give thanks.
Ps.136:1 – Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Ps.95:2 – Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Ps.100:4 – Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Heb.13:15 – Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
1 Thes.5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
