12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. (1 Timothy 1:12, New International Version)
Theme: Rejoicing and Thanksgiving
Context:
It is a privilege to be on this spiritual journey with each of you. We have just completed over half of the 40 days and it is already clear that there are never-ending opportunities to rejoice and give thanks as we practice spiritual disciplines. This week we will focus on the disciplines of Service and Stewardship. We will start with Service.
A variety of sentiments are associated with acts of service. Rejoicing and thanksgiving aren’t often high on the list. In fact, service that doesn’t result in a direct benefit to the servant (e.g., service without remuneration) is often seen as a thankless sacrifice. When viewed from a Christian perspective though, service is a privilege we should give God thanks for.
Bible Passages:
In our Bible passage today, Paul provides a clear link between service and giving thanks.
Please study the passage and consider the question below.
Question:
Ordinarily, people expect to be thanked for serving. In your own words, why is Paul instead giving thanks to serve?
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