A Life Shaped and Re-shaped by Prayer

Tuesday, Week 1 - Philippians 1:3-11: Gratitude

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.  For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.  And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Following the opening greeting, Paul moves right to gratitude.  Though he is writing from prison, he is filled with thanks.  As he reflects upon all the connections he has made with those in the community of faith, connections that have come about through the compassion of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, he is filled with joy.

For what are you grateful?  Take a moment and think of five things.  Notice that for most of us, the first things that come to mind are things that everyone can be grateful for: family, friends, food, all the things in our lives, etc.  It is good to be grateful for them. 

Now consider other blessings have come to you solely because of God’s grace, Christ’s compassion, and the movement of God’s Spirit.  If that sounds to high and churchy consider gifts of: faith, hope, and love (in you and/or in others); favorite hymns or scripture passages; a church community where you can go whenever you feel like it and where you are welcomed and are offered relationship with God and others, moments when something or someone has surprisingly shown up at just the right time, etc.  

Yesterday, I invited you to begin your prayer with a sense of your own belovedness, breathing in and breathing out.  Today I invite you to continue with gratitude.  Perhaps keep an Advent list of things you are grateful for.  Perhaps begin each meal by naming something you are grateful for. 

Note, last Sunday I described to the children how this was a season of waiting and watching.  They noted that what they were waiting for mostly was opening presents on Christmas.  I affirmed that, and also asked that they ‘watch’ for gifts that they are receiving every day leading up to Christmas.  At our dinner table we are asking, “What gifts did you receive today?”

Thank you O God for all the gifts you give us, for the ones we get through being part of your created world, and for the ones we receive through the love and compassion of Christ.  Inspire in us a deeper sense of gratitude.  Amen.