Day Twenty five - Give Thanks for People

2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

                  It is important to thank God for things,  for health,  for safety,  for your home.  It is also important to thank God for who He is and what He has done.  There is one thing that we need to do more often,  be thankful for people.  In 2 Thessalonians 2,  Paul is thanking God for the saved people in the church of Thessalonica.  But Paul doesn't stop at a hidden prayer of thanksgiving.  He lets the people in Thessalonica know that he is thankful for them.  He tells why he is thankful and tells them how much he loves them.  

The Thessalonians were an amazing people.  Paul writes, 

1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

                    They received the words that Paul brought to them,  and attested that the words were the Words of God.  They believed it.  They saw it as truth,  and they were examples of the power of the Word to effectually work a believer. 

                    Can you imagine what it must have felt like for these believers to hear Paul say that he was thankful for them?  We all need to be appreciated.  We know that God will one day say,  “Well done” to a good and faithful servant.  We need to be willing to say that to people whom God has used to strengthen our faith.

An Exercise to increase our Faith:   To some, this may be an easy exercise.  To others it may really stretch you.  The next time you see a person in the church who has been a help to you in your life,  tell them that you thank God for them.  You can call them on the phone, or write them a message,  but sincerely mean it when you say “Thank you.”  In what ways are you  thankful for their testimony,  thankful for their character,  thankful for their faithfulness?  Share this with them