Don’t Forget the Big Things!
Scripture — Colossians 1:11-14
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Focus
In this time of year set apart for thanksgiving, may you give thanks to God for the “big things” and the “little things.” As you do, may your heart be filled with the joy of the Lord!
Today’s devotion is part of the series: Thanksgiving Preseason.
Devotion
As I’ve entered the “third third” of my life, I find that I’m better than I used to be at thanking God for “little things.” My family teases me sometimes because I get so excited when seeing colorful wild birds, for which I often thank the Lord. I also regularly thank God for simple gifts, like the beauty of a cool fall day, the warmth of a blazing campfire, or the companionship I feel when eating at Amigo’s with my extended family. It turns out that, as people age, gratitude becomes more natural. Neuroscientists think it has something to do with changes in our limbic system, particularly the amygdala.* Whether this is right or not, I’m happy that my brain helps me feel grateful.
It’s good to be grateful for little things. But sometimes I can forget to be thankful for the big things, the things that matter most in life. Surely I ought to be thankful for these as well.
The Apostle Paul encourages us by his own example to be thankful for the big things. In Colossians 1:12-14 he speaks of “giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” These are big things, indeed: eternal inheritance, rescue from dark powers, citizenship in the kingdom of the Son of God, redemption, and forgiveness. For these magnificent gifts of God we ought to be grateful, indeed.
What will help us feel and express gratitude for the major ways in which we experience God’s grace? Surely reflection on Scripture assists us by reminding us of all that God has done for us. If we pay attention to Colossians 3:11-14, then we’ll join Paul in “giving thanks to the Father” for his amazing gifts to us. Corporate worship is also crucial, in my experience. The songs and prayers of worship both remind me and expand my vision of God’s goodness. A gospel-saturated sermon brings to mind God’s amazing grace. And the sacraments (or ordinances) of baptism and communion regularly stir our memories and our hearts with the magnitude of God’s love in Christ. Some Christians refer to communion as the Eucharist, from the Greek word eucharistia, which means “thanksgiving.” Perhaps more than anything else in life, sharing in the Lord’s Supper helps us to be grateful for the biggest thing of all, namely God’s grace for us in Jesus Christ.
In yesterday’s Life for Leaders devotion, I wondered how we can be thankful when life is hard. One answer to this question points to the impact of Christian community. Another answer emerges from Colossians 1:11-14. As you may recall, in this passage Paul prays that the Colossians may be “joyfully giving thanks to the Father” even while being prepared “to endure everything with patience.” As hard things come their way, the Colossians can still be joyful in gratitude. Why? Because of the “big things” God has done for them: giving them an eternal inheritance, rescuing them from dark powers into the kingdom, and redeeming them by forgiving their sins. Even in the midst of trials and sufferings, remembrance of the “big things” God has done can inspire genuine gratitude.
In this time of year set apart for thanksgiving, may you give thanks to God for the “big things” and the “little things.” As you do, may your heart be filled with the joy of the Lord!
* Wency, Leung, “The science of gratitude: As we age, our brains get better at feeling thankful,” The Globe and Mail, Oct 11, 2015, updated May 15, 2018. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/gratitude-levels-increase-with-age-research-shows/article26751433/
Reflect
Do you tend to thank God for the big things God has done for you? If so, why? If not, why not?
What helps you to pay attention to the major ways in which you have experienced God’s grace?
How have you experienced God’s grace in the last year?
Act
Set aside several minutes today to thank God for the “big things.”
Pray
Gracious God, your gifts to us are beyond measure. Many are relatively small and ordinary, but still wonderful. For these we thank you. But many of your gifts to us are big. More than big, really. They are magnificent beyond comprehension, gracious beyond measure.
So I thank you, Lord, for enabling me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light, so that I might have sure hope in you.
Thank you for rescuing me from the power of darkness, so that I might walk in the light.
Thank you for transferring me into the kingdom of your beloved Son, so that I might live under his wise rule, and so that my life might be filled with meaning and purpose.
Thank you for redeeming me from bondage to sin, and for forgiving me for all that I have done to dishonor you.
How good it is, Lord, to know that you are for me, that nothing I can do in all creation will separate me from your love in Christ. Amen.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: A Week of Thanksgiving: Be Thankful in All Circumstances.
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Mark D. Roberts
Senior Strategist
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders,...