[I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession]… and thanksgiving…
Summary: Giving thanks to God might seem like an odd addition to a list of different kinds of prayer, but on closer examination, we discover that it might be the most important kind of prayer.
Paul begins this thought with a list of prayer types. In our last meditation, we examined “petitions, prayers, [and] intercession…” But Paul doesn’t stop there. He continues with one more kind of prayer — thanksgiving.
Personally, I have always thought about prayer as asking for something from God. After all, God is God, and I am the one who is always stubbing my toe on my own shortcomings. I, not God, am the one who needs help. Even so, as a believer, I have to give God credit for a lot of things.
Perhaps that is why Paul adds “thanksgiving” to his list of prayer types.
Interestingly, the Greek word Paul uses for “thanksgiving” is “eucharistia” (Strong’s G2169).* If that word sounds familiar, it should. The Greek “eucharistia” is where we get our English word, eucharist.†
Strong’s Lexicon defines “eucharistia” as “gratitude,” and an active “grateful language” to God. This, of course, is exactly what Jesus models for us at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26-28).
Why is giving thanks an important part of prayer?
The answer may be in what it reveals about the condition of our hearts. Someone who never bothers to thank God for the good things he provides might just be taking those good things for granted.
Is that wise?
Or, is it better to have an “attitude of gratitude” when we come before our Father?
The answer to this question is found in Jesus’ summation of “all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). Jesus points out that we are to love God above all else (Matthew 22:37). In essence, agapē love puts others above self. To love God as God loves us is to hold God in the highest esteem.
To take God’s gifts for granted is to position ourselves apart from God. To realize that God cares for us even though we don’t deserve his love is to recognize that God is above us — superior in every way.
Giving thanks to God acknowledges God’s superiority. It also guards our hearts against vanity (Proverbs 4:23). Being thankful is essential if we are truly humble before God.
Application: Count your blessings, and give thanks!
Food for Thought: There are a million things we can be thankful for. Which are important to you?
*”G2169 – eucharistia – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (NIV).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 16 Mar, 2026. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2169/niv/mgnt/0-1/>.
† If you haven’t heard the word before, it is used in formal church settings to describe what is commonly called “communion,” the sharing of bread and wine to celebrate the new covenant with God [Luke 22:17-20].
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