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Your
Best Word Rudyard Kipling at one time was so popular that his writings were getting ten shillings per word. A few college students, however, didn't appreciate Kipling's writings; they facetiously sent him a letter enclosing ten shillings. It read, "Please, send us your best word." They got back a letter from Kipling stating, "Thanks." In the United States of America, we celebrate a national holiday called “Thanksgiving.” The origin of the holiday dates back to the Pilgrims who came to America. After the survival of their first colony through the bitter winter, and the gathering of the harvest, Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony issued a thanksgiving proclamation in the autumn of 1621. This first thanksgiving lasted three days, during which the Pilgrims feasted on wild turkey and venison with their Indian guests. Years later in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made a proclamation establishing the national holiday of Thanksgiving. Because of the many blessings that God has given to each one of us, our best word is indeed, "Thanks." When the Apostle Paul considered the blessings of God, he said: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord” (1 Timothy 1:12). Consider carefully the context of Paul’s words of thanksgiving: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life" (1Timothy 1:12-16). The blessing that made the Apostle Paul especially thankful was the mercy and grace that he found in Christ. He acknowledged the error of his ways, but he rejoiced in the fact that Jesus came into the world to save him as well as ALL sinners. That includes YOU and ME, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If we, like Paul, will “believe on Him,” turn from our sins, and submit our lives to Him through baptism (immersion) and a life of trusting obedience (Acts 22:16; 1 John 1:7), then we, too, can rejoice in the mercy and grace of God! In light of God’s wonderful blessings through Jesus Christ, give Him your best word: "Thanks." And, allow that gratitude to motivate YOU to give Him your life -- trusting and obeying Him with a lifetime of gratitude.David A. Sargent, Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchsearch.org Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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