I Never Stopped Giving Thanks
November 4, 2022
Ephesians 1:16 – I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you.”
When I was in college, my mom would send me cards with little notes inside. Sometimes she would write an actual letter. This was in 1981-83, so there were no cell phones, we talked once a week on Wednesday evenings on the payphone down the hall to my dorm room. So I would anxiously wait to see if one of her cards or letters would show up in my mailbox!
So if we go back over 2000 years, communication was even harder then! All they had were letters. And that’s what the books of the Bible written by Paul primarily were; letters that he wrote to various cities that he had visted. When the cities got these letters, they would read them aloud in the home church, probably several times, and maybe even copied by someone that could write. Then they were passed to believers in other cities.
Ephesians is the only letter written by Paul that wasn’t in response to a certain issue. It is full of doctrine, instructions, love and praise. Today’s verse says he has not stopped giving thanks to God for them. Paul is thankful that he had gotten reports about God’s work in the lives of his readers. He was seriously very comforted by this and it was a cause for celebration for him! He knows that God is working through the people in Ephesians to spread the gospel. But at the time of Paul writing this letter, he was in prison for preaching the gospel! He could have had the attitude that God’s plans were NOT working, since he was in prison! But, the reports from the cities have told him that God’s plans ARE working and people’s lives are being transformed!
Today’s verse is such a great reminder that we should celebrate the faith and love of those around us who have encouraged our walk with God. I thank God for all of you in this group! You have helped me stay consistant in writing in my journal and have helped my relationship with God stay strong and grow even stronger. My prayer is that you will feel the same for this group. I’m looking forward to a long, rewarding relationship for all of us.