{"id":1321,"date":"2010-11-25T01:21:59","date_gmt":"2010-11-25T01:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/11\/inspiration-from-the-high-calling-thanksgiving-not-just-a-day-but-a-way-of-life.html"},"modified":"2010-11-25T01:21:59","modified_gmt":"2010-11-25T01:21:59","slug":"inspiration-from-the-high-calling-thanksgiving-not-just-a-day-but-a-way-of-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/11\/inspiration-from-the-high-calling-thanksgiving-not-just-a-day-but-a-way-of-life.html","title":{"rendered":"Inspiration from the High Calling: Thanksgiving – Not Just a Day, But a Way of Life"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nColossians 3:12-17<\/a><\/div>\n
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\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
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\n<\/div>\n
Colossians 3:17<\/a><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

\nToday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a day set apart by the
\nnational government so that American might express their thanks. The
\nroots of this holiday grow deep into American soil, touching the very
\nbeginnings of the country. The value of setting apart a day for giving
\nthanks has been affirmed by many presidents, beginning with George
\nWashington. (Photo: Thanksgiving postcard from c. 1900)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"thanksgiving-postcard-1900-5.jpg\"<\/form>\n

I think it’s a fine thing that the United States (among other
\ncountries) sets apart a specific day for gratitude, even if this day is
\noften more devoted to football and feasting than to actually giving
\nthanks to God. But sometimes I think we American do ourselves a
\ndisservice by identifying one day a year for gratitude. The danger, as I
\nsee it, is that we might not live thankfully all year round.<\/p>\n

\tScripture calls us to a life of gratitude, not just a day.
\nColossians 3:17, for example, urges: “And whatever you do or say, do it
\nas a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God
\nthe Father.” Everything we do and say should have two basic
\ncharacteristics. First, it should be done “as a representative of the
\nLord Jesus.” The original Greek reads more literally, “in the name of
\nthe Lord Jesus.” This does mean “as his representative,” but it also
\nsuggests that we are to seek his agenda and to be committed to his
\npurposes.<\/p>\n

\tSecond, we are to do and say everything “giving thanks” to God the
\nFather through Jesus. This doesn’t mean that we are to stop every action
\nand every conversation in order to offer a literal prayer of thanks to
\nGod. Rather, we are to act and speak thankfully. We are to live each
\nmoment with an awareness of God’s grace at work in our lives and in the
\nworld. Sometimes we will express our gratitude to God or to others. But
\neven when we’re silent, we are to receive all of life and do all that we
\ndo with an awareness that we are living by grace.<\/p>\n

\tLiving thankfully gives God the credit he deserves, and that’s
\nsufficient reason to do it. But living thankfully also transforms us. It
\ngives us a deeper appreciation of life. It steers us away from focusing
\ntoo much on our struggles. It enables us to see God’s presence even in
\nhard times. It motivates us to live each moment of each day for God and
\nhis glory. Pervasive thanksgiving enables us, therefore, to “glorify God
\nand enjoy him forever.”<\/p>\n

\tSo, be thankful today, for sure. But be thankful tomorrow as well. And the next day. And the next. . . .<\/p>\n

\tQUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:<\/strong> What helps you to
\nlive thankfully each day? What gets in the way of your gratitude? What
\nmight you do differently to help you act and speak with thankfulness?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

\nPRAYER:<\/strong> Dear Lord, as I pay attention to the
\nencouragement to do everything in your name, giving thanks to you, I
\nrealize how easily I fall short of this goal. I can so easily take your
\ngifts for granted. Or I can focus on what is wrong, filling my heart
\nwith worry rather than thanksgiving. Forgive me, Lord, for my ungrateful
\nheart and my thankless living.<\/p>\n

\tHelp me, I pray, to be thankful to you in all that I do and say. May
\nthanksgiving become a true habit of mind, heart, and action. May I
\nlearn to acknowledge you with expressed thanks, both to you and in the
\npresence of others. May I see your gifts and delight in them.<\/p>\n

\tThank you, gracious God, for the opportunity to live thankfully.
\nThank you for your Word that instructs and challenges me to do it. Thank
\nyou for your grace and for your Spirit who help me to live with
\ngratitude each day.<\/p>\n

\tAll praise and thanks be to you, gracious, loving, giving God. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?  <\/p>\n

Here’s how . . . .<\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace. The High Calling<\/i> is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Colossians 3:12-17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17 Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a day set apart by the national government so that American might express their thanks. The roots of this holiday…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-thanksgiving"],"yoast_head":"\nInspiration from the High Calling: Thanksgiving - Not Just a Day, But a Way of Life - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1321\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}