May You Be Full Of Eucharisteo

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Grumbling can be described as the accent of hell and gratitude as the accent of heaven. But as many of us prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s take a longer look at gratitude. More specifically, how is it possible to obey 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and “give thanks in all circumstances,” especially if our circumstances are horrible? What fuels thanksgiving when life seems to be one discouragement, disappointment, disease, disaster, and death after another? There is only one way. And Jesus both is the way and shows the way.

The best place to see Jesus showing us the way is in the upper room where he “took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:19). The Greek word for “thanks” in this verse is eucharisteo. The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.” Charis. Grace. Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving. Chara. Joy. Now, let’s think for a moment about what Jesus’s eucharisteo meant.

Thank you, Father, that my body, symbolized by this bread, is about to be brutally broken and I am about to be momentarily damned by your wrath (Isaiah 53:10) so that you will receive supreme glory in being able to forgive undeserving sinners (Philippians 2:11) and I will share eternally full joy (John 15:11; Psalm 16:11) with hundreds of millions of forgiven sinners made righteous through my sacrifice (Isaiah 53:11). Jesus’s thanks was not based on his present circumstances. He was about to endure the worst possible horror. He felt thankful to the Father for the grace and glory that was coming because of the cross and this gave him joy. Eucharisteo. Jesus’s eucharisteo was fueled by his belief in future grace. That’s what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote that, Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith . . . for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus’s eyes were on his future joy. He got through the cross by not focusing on the cross but on the promised joy that would result from it.

That’s where God wants your eyes: on the future joy he has promised you. And what is your future joy? The very best possible future you could ever imagine; if you will believe it.
You will have the free gift of complete forgiveness for all your sins extending into forever (Romans 6:23). You will never have to merit your justification by keeping the law (Galatians 2:16). You will have all your real needs provided while on earth (Philippians 4:19). You will receive all the grace you need at all times so that you will abound in every good work God has for you (2 Corinthians 9:8).
God will complete the good work he began in you (Philippians 1:6). You will be raised from the dead and never, ever die again (1 Corinthians 15:52–53). That means someday soon you will see Jesus, be with him (2 Corinthians 5:8), and be like him (1 John 3:2). In that day you will know for the first time full, unpolluted joy (Psalm 16:11). You will be completely free from all corruption (Romans 8:21).
You will have God forever (1 Peter 3:18) as your exceeding joy (Psalm 43:4).

And that’s just a small sampling! The joy set before you is the same joy Jesus had set before him, because you are an heir of the kingdom with him (Romans 8:17). So right now you have trouble. That’s okay. Jesus said that you would (John 16:33). And Jesus really understands (Hebrews 4:15). In fact, the trouble that you endure has a purpose: in it you are displaying the reality of Jesus to the world in a unique way. The kingdom of God is most clearly shown on earth when Christians gratefully suffer present trouble because they see a future weight of glory coming that makes everything this world throws at them as “light momentary afflictions” in comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).

So, how can you give thanks in all circumstances? There’s only one way: Jesus’s way. Look to the joy set before you. Look to the joy! If the future joy Jesus promises is real and you believe him, there is no circumstance that can steal your thanksgiving. May all your Thanksgiving celebrations be soaked in eucharisteo.

Say "Thank You" Today

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families, I'm reminded of something that happened on one of our trips to New York. We were on our sixteen hour trip when we pulled into a rest stop. The day before Thanksgiving was a busy time at the rest area. As I walked in, I noticed that, despite how busy it was, the restroom was sparkling clean. I saw a woman hard at work, scrubbing the floors and sinks amidst others walking in and out. It struck me that, while most other people were home preparing turkeys or traveling to visit family, she was doing a thankless job. The bathroom was remarkably tidy and, as anyone would be, I was grateful.

I should say something to her, I thought to myself. When I came out of the restroom, she had disappeared. For a minute, I felt a sense of relief that I could avoid a possibly awkward interaction. But while walking toward the door, I felt a nudging within me to go find her and express my thanks. I walked around the corner to the other side of the restroom and found her reloading her supply cart in a closet. I slowly walked up to her and said, “I just wanted to thank you for doing such a great job cleaning this restroom. I really appreciate it.” A warm and curious smile spread across her face as she looked at me. I wondered if anyone ever thanked her for her diligent work.

Why is it that we often think thankful thoughts, but don’t express them with words? Are we afraid of looking foolish or weak? Are we too preoccupied with our own agenda to take the time to offer a word of encouragement? Are we concerned that giving too much praise to someone might inflate their pride? Most people seem much more freely speaking critical words. Encouraging, thankful words can bring life and refreshment to a weary soul. The Bible also exhorts us to give verbal thanksgiving to God. Hebrews 13:15 tells us, “Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Continually offering up praise to God means we must be continually looking for evidences of his grace in our lives. We can thank him that we didn’t cry over the spilled milk at breakfast, or for the sunshine after a bleak winter day, or for the negative answer to our medical tests. Our private prayers and our public acts of praise will turn our hearts heavenward as we count our blessings and give thanks to the one true God.

Psalm 105 exhorts us to not only give thanks to God, but proclaim to others the mighty works he has done. Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! (Psalm 105:1–2) A central aspect of bringing up children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) is simply to share with them our gratitude for the goodness and faithfulness of God in our lives. As we verbally pour out our admiration and gratitude of our great God, our children will catch a vision of the magnificent Lord we are worshiping. Our enthusiasm and love for Jesus will be evident through our words. Likely we all could stand to grow in recognizing all the reasons we have to be thankful, they are all around us. But simply becoming more grateful in our hearts is just the beginning. If gratefulness rises up in our hearts, but never spills out of our mouths, we are only experiencing the beginnings of joy. Gratitude is only fully enjoyed when we share it with others. As C.S. Lewis said, “We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.”

So, the next time you find your mind dwelling on a thankful thought, here are three reasons to put those thoughts into words: 1. Expressing gratitude to God can strengthen your faith.
What new mercy has God given you? Did you sleep well at night? Were the bananas perfectly ripe for your breakfast? Is the baby you’re rocking a long-awaited answer to prayer? Did you avoid speaking a frustrated word to your spouse? Don’t let the hours of the day pass you by without stopping to consider what you can give thanks for. The more you see God’s faithfulness in your life, your family, your spiritual growth, the more confidently will you rest in that faithfulness in the future.

2. You will stir up God’s people to love and good deeds.Your friend who is willing to drop what she’s doing at a moment’s notice to help when you’re in need. Your mom who sacrificially gives her time and resources to your family. Your pastor who diligently prepares and preaches the word every week. Tell others in your life what you appreciate about them and why. It will bring fresh wind to their souls and spur them on to keep serving (Hebrews 10:24–25).

3. You will create a climate of gratitude. Psalm 145 tells us to commend our works to the next generation. Sharing how God answered a prayer, provided a necessary resource, or replaced your sorrow with joy will encourage others to find their hope and satisfaction in God. Gratitude can be as contagious as complaining. Work to cultivate the right climate in your home or workplace.

Our words of praise and thanksgiving have the power to lift wounded souls and point our hearts afresh to God. Speak your words of thanks and let God transform your life and soul.

Suffering Is For The Overcomer

Diana was only nineteen when her father was sent to prison for his faith. She and her sister Floarea were left in charge of the family, but soon they lost their factory jobs because of their father's imprisonment.

With a sick mother and four younger siblings at home, Diana and Floarea were desperate. So when a young man called them and said he could get Diana a work permit, they were ecstatic. She met him for dinner, where he gave her plenty of wine and then seduced her. Afterward, he gave her some money, and this became a pattern. Nothing more was said about a work permit, and Diana accepted the money because she was so desperate.

Diana continued to prostitute herself in order to support the family, although she was filled with guilt. Soon her sister became involved, and together they hid their shame. Now, as they looked into the face of their mother, they said, "How can you forgive us? We thought you would be disgusted."

She offered them words of love and comfort, "You feel shame over what you have done, and so you should. But this sense of shame and guilt will lead you to a shining righteousness. Remember, the soldiers not so much pierced Christ's side as "opened" it, that sinners might easily enter his heart and find forgiveness."

Being sorry for our sin and feeling sorry for ourselves are two different things. Many people who go through suffering feel sorry for themselves. They are all too eager to blame others for their misfortune. How tempting it would have been for the girls in this story to blame their mistakes on their father. "If he was not a Christian, then he would not have been arrested, and we would not be in this mess." Yet they came to their mother with true shame and repentance for their willful disobedience. And they found forgiveness.

Many times in life, our sufferings can take a toll on our lives. Suffering that is allowed to fester can send you into a dark place. Instead of releasing our pain to God, or even our family and friends, we begin to relish in it. It becomes part of us. A part that is a detriment to our lives, but we feel we can't live without it. Our sufferings and our pain become our existence. But Godly sorrow leads to repentance, which leads to forgiveness.

If we hand over our sufferings to God, take ownership of our mistakes and not push the blame on others, then true rehabilitation can begin. From true repentance comes the ultimate salvation from our sufferings.

2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Are you feeling sorry for yourself in your sufferings? Watch out! It can quickly lead you to disobedience.