Thanks

Good Morning,

Philippians 1:3-11 (NIV)
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

When I looked at these verses today it was the simple first sentence that seemed to strike me. "I thank God every time I remember you." Doesn't seem to be all that important or insightful at first blush, does it? But then, as I reread it and as it kind of worked around in my brain, I realized just how important these words are to me...and, I hope, to every one.

It's not simply that I'm thankful for you, and for all my friends and the people we attend services with. It's more than that really. Of course I AM very thankful for the friends and partners in Christ that I've been blessed with. The thing that struck me, though, is the fact that Paul took the time to send along a letter to some of these folks so they would know that he was thinking about them and praying for them. That's what God wanted me to see...and what I think He wants all of us to see and understand. We need to be thankful to Him, certainly, when He brings people into our lives and into our sphere of influence. Equally important is that we should also let people know, without a doubt, that we are truly thankful for being in our lives.

So, my thoughts mirror what Paul wrote. I am so very thankful to know the people I know and to be friends with those God has blessed me with.

Thank you so very, very much.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David