Like me, I am sure you are preparing for Thanksgiving this week. It’s one of my favorite family celebration days. We have so many great traditions and it’s an all-day affair.
However, thanksgiving should not only be for a special day, but our lifestyle. It’s the lifestyle of God’s kingdom. Colossians 2:7 says: “Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, and ABOUNDING therein with thanksgiving.” Have you noticed that the Bible contains extravagant language?
Our God is an extravagant God. He writes extravagant words. Nothing in the Bible is normal. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus not only came to give us life, but ABUNDANT life. He not only gives us peace, but peace that PASSES UNDERSTANDING (Philippians 4:7). He not only gives us joy, but joy that is UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY (1 Peter 1:8).
Now we read that we are not only to be thankful, but to be ABOUNDING in thanksgiving. Some translations say: “OVERFLOWING in gratitude.”
What does it mean to abound? When we look into the original Greek we find even more extravagant adjectives. The word abound is “perisseuo” meaning “to superabound, to be excessive, abundant, exceed, over and above.” The Bible uses the same word in John chapter six where Jesus fed the five thousand men, plus others.
Jesus not only fed the people, but fed them to overflowing. When they were all “filled,” Jesus asked them to gather all that was left over and they filled up twelve baskets full that “remained OVER AND ABOVE (perisseuo)” that which they had eaten.
I believe that we need to come into the TWELVE BASKETS FULL attitude about thanksgiving, don’t you? We all say, “thank you” when someone gives us something or does something for us, but I believe we need to go “over and above” this normality.
How many baskets full do you have over? Perhaps one basket full? You may get excessive sometimes. But not too much. You don’t want people to think are “over the top.” Hey, that’s what you are meant to be! You are never meant to be average, normal, or boring. Especially when it comes to being thankful.
What about two baskets full over? How many times do you thank your husband each day? Do you thank him profusely for even the little things he does for you? Or do you take him for granted? Do you thank your children when they do their chores, or just take them for granted too?
What about three baskets full over and above? Appreciation and gratitude pour from your heart. You don’t have an entitlement mentality. You and I both know that we don’t deserve anything, and therefore we are grateful for every little blessing in life.
What about four baskets full over and above? How our hearts should be filled with thankfulness to God for all His blessings, especially for His great salvation. I cannot refrain from thanking Him every day for His sacrifice upon the cross for me. Our hearts should well up with thankfulness continually through the day for all the wonderful blessings God pours upon us. Often, we don’t see them because of our attitude of ingratitude. That’s why we’ve got to push into the OVER AND ABOVE TWELVE BASKETS FULL ATTITUDE.
What about five baskets full over and above? Are you becoming excessive? Is it becoming normal for you to say, “Thank you soooooo much.” And so, we could go on.
The TWELVE BASKETS FULL attitude can revolutionize your marriage.
The TWELVE BASKETS FULL attitude can revolutionize your family life. Just imagine everyone in the home with this mentality. Outdoing one another with thankfulness. What bliss to live in an environment of thankfulness, blessing, appreciation, and gratitude. It changes everything.
THE OVER AND ABOVE TWELVE BASKETS FULL attitude can change the lives of everyone we meet, and ultimately society.
Start it in your home today.
Love from Nancy Campbell