Tag: Thanksgiving

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1 Timothy 2:1e – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

A picture of Jesus praying over the people of the world -- all of us! (Grok)

[I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving]… be made for all people…

Summary: Paul’s instruction on prayer includes praying for “all people.” At first blush, this might seem counter-intuitive. However, if we remember our place in the universe, this command starts to make sense.   

What, exactly, does Paul mean by “all people”? Does he have any idea what he is saying? Does he actually mean to be “thankful” for people who have beaten him, imprisoned him, stoned him, and left him for dead (2 Corinthians 11:24-26)? And what about the people preaching false doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3)? What about the people Paul wished would emasculate themselves (Galatians 5:12)? 

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1 Timothy 2:1d – A Thankful Heart

A woman raises her face and hands in prayer and her heart glows with gratitude. (Grok)

[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. 

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1 Timothy 2:1b – In the Game

Picture of a high school football player sitting alone on the bench (Grok)

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 

Summary: Christians don’t “fight” like normal people. Instead of trying to dominate others, we strive to submit ourselves to God’s will.   

Christians “fight” in ways that are different than the ways of the world. Instead of knowing the best techniques for kicking and punching, we strive to be expert at “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving.” 

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Philippians 4:6b – A Place of Prayer

… but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Summary: In this passage, it sounds like Paul is saying the same thing twice when he writes, “by prayer and petition.” As it turns out, there is a world of difference between the English version and the Greek.   

Have you ever wondered how to pray? 

In this passage, Paul gives us a short primer on the topic. In one sense, it is really quite simple; no matter where you are or what you are doing, pray. When you pray, be thankful. Always present your requests to God. 

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Psalm 107:1 – Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Summary: Happy Thanksgiving!

As we enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday, it is good to take a moment and consider, not only what we have to be thankful for, but who we need to be thankful to. It is all well and good to feel that “I’ve got mine,” but true thankfulness requires that we thank someone.

Pity the poor atheists at Thanksgiving. They might be thankful for life, but they have no one to be grateful to for such a great gift.

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