December 2018
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
There is a novel, Robinson Crusoe, written by Daniel Defoe. It is a story about a man shipwrecked on a desert island. After that, he had to lead a solitary life. Then he realized that he became a “thrown being” regardless of his will. All the other colleagues were all drowned, and only he was alive. He had no clothes to wear, but the climate was so hot that he did not need any clothes at all. And he had no weapon to defend himself, but there were no wild beasts attacking him like he saw when he went to Africa in the past.
Robinson had no one to talk to so he taught a parrot to talk. Even though he did not have the necessary materials and tools, he believed that God supplied the most basic things that he needed to live through a broken ship. Therefore, he finally learned a very valuable lesson, that he could find at least something to be thankful for even in the midst of a miserable situation.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18a, Paul said, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.” Actually, when he was writing this letter to the church at Thessalonica, he was struggling with great suffering. Then, what made him to be thankful in the midst of hardship?
First, Paul was not thankful for the richness associated with ‘material possessions.’ Secondly, he was not thankful for an easy life, rather he was thankful for having ‘a thorn in the flesh.’ Thirdly, he was not thankful for ‘being exalted.’ However, he was only thankful for knowing Christ in his life. He regarded everything as loss except gaining Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:8) Therefore, he could rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.
We may not able to live just like Robinson Crusoe or Paul, but at least we could learn something from their attitude of being thankful. As we wait for the coming of Jesus, I sincerely hope and pray that we remember the most important reason to be thankful that we have. It is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Since he came to us, we are able to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.
Blessings,
Pastor Ran Yoo