Dearly beloved St. James family members
“In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6.
On November 28rd Thursday we commemorate Thanksgiving Day. A study by psychologist Robert Emmons divided volunteers into three groups, each making weekly journal entries. One group wrote five things they were grateful for. One described five daily hassles. And a control group listed five events that had impacted them in a small way. The study results revealed that those in the gratitude group felt better about their lives overall, were more optimistic about the future, and reported fewer health problems. Giving thanks has a way of changing the way we look at life. Thanksgiving can even make us happier. The Bible has long extolled the benefits of giving thanks to God, as doing so reminds us of His character. The Psalms repeatedly call God’s people to provide him with thanks because “the Lord is good and his love endures forever” (Psalm 100:5) and to thank Him for His unfailing love and wonderful deeds (107:8, 15, 21, 31). As the apostle Paul closed his letter to the Philippians—the letter itself a kind of thank-you note to a church that had supported him—he linked thankful prayers with the peace of God “which transcends all understanding” (4:7). When we focus on God and His goodness, we find that we can pray without anxiety, in every situation, with thanksgiving. Giving thanks brings us a peace that uniquely guards our hearts and minds and changes the way we look at life. A heart full of gratitude nurtures a spirit of joy.
Think. Thank. Talk - the words for Thanksgiving. First, think. Think about all the many ways God has blessed you. Think about how God has blessed you this past year, personally and as a citizen of this nation. Second, thank. Thank the Lord, out loud, here at church and then at home. Thank him with psalms and hymns and prayers and praise. Then third, talk. Talk to others about how God has blessed you. And in so doing, you may be a blessing from God to them, because you will be encouraging them also to think, thank, and talk.
The renovation works of our Pearl River Church are complete now. We are making arrangements and preparations for the dedication of the renovated Church in Pearl River. We should all remember this subject in our prayers and prepare for it.
May the Triune God bless us all.
Ajith Varghese Achen
