Always Giving Thanks 时常感恩

[Dexu Xia]

Be very careful, then, how you live . . . . always giving thanks to God. Ephesians 5:15, 20

Today's Scripture. Ephesians 5:15-- 20

Listen to Today's Devotion

Today's Insights  Ephesians 5 invites us to walk in Christ’s light rather than stumble through the darkness of the world (v. 8). In verses 15-20, we encounter a surprising source of spiritual strength: gratitude. Paul urges us to “be filled with the Spirit” (v. 18) and to “[give] thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 20). Gratitude is a posture and attitude that returns our focus to the source of all good things (see James 1:16-18). When we express our thankfulness—even in ordinary or difficult moments—we acknowledge God’s presence and goodness. This reorientation helps us to live intentionally, reflecting Christ’s love. The apostle’s command to give thanks is paired with God’s enabling presence (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit fills, shapes, and empowers us to live a life of gratitude, which turns our hearts toward God.

Today's Devotion A fifty-ton, female humpback whale swam into a web of  crab lines off the coast of California, trapping her in a tangled mess. Hundreds of feet of line and hundreds of pounds of traps wrapped around her body as she struggled to stay afloat. Four divers came to her rescue, swimming under her belly. For an hour, they cut rope—dangerous work since one flap of her tail could have killed them. After they freed her, rather than immediately escaping, she swam to and gently nudged each diver. “It felt to me like she was thanking us,” one rescuer said.

Whether or not whales are able to express gratitude, being thankful is truly an important part of being human. It’s vital for our life with God. Many of us thank Him for larger blessings (the birth of a child or healing from a disease). However, Paul tells us to offer gratitude for every gift we receive, for every bit of goodness we encounter. We’re to be “always giving thanks to God,” the apostle writes (Ephesians 5:20). Not sometimes. Not only for exceptional moments. Always. And to make sure he’s made his point, Paul adds a bit more. “[Make] the most of every opportunity” and give thanks “for everything,” he says (vv. 16, 20).

Genuine gratitude is more than an occasional word we offer; it’s the posture of our lives. Gratitude turns us to God over and over again, always giving thanks in celebration.

Reflect & Pray

What gifts can you thank God for today? How can you move toward a posture of gratitude?

Dear God, please help me to live a life of gratitude to You. BY  Will Coolier

“你们要谨慎行事……常常感谢神。（以弗所书 5:15, 20）

 今日经文：以弗所书 5章15-20 节

今日洞见：以弗所书 5 章邀请我们行在基督的光中，不要在世界的黑暗中跌跌撞撞（8 节）。在 15-20 节中，我们发现了一个意想不到的属灵力量的源泉：感恩。保罗劝勉我们“要被圣灵充满”（18 节），并且“凡事要奉我们主耶稣基督的名感谢父神”（20 节）。感恩是一种姿态和态度，它使我们重新关注一切美好事物的源头（参见雅各书 1:16-18）。当我们表达感恩之情时，即使是在平凡的时刻或艰难的时刻，我们也承认了神的同在和良善。这种重新调整帮助我们活出有意义的人生，反映出基督的爱。使徒保罗命令我们感恩，这与上帝的同在相辅相成（以弗所书 5:18）。圣灵充满我们，塑造我们，并赋予我们能力，使我们能够活出感恩的生命，使我们的心转向神。

 今日灵修：一头重达五十吨的雌性座头鲸游进了加利福尼亚海岸附近的蟹笼网，被困在其中。她挣扎着想要保持漂浮，那数百英尺长的绳索和数百磅重的蟹笼却缠绕着她的身体。前来营救的四名潜水员潜到她腹下，他们花了整整一个小时割断缠着她的绳索，这工作很危险，因为只要她的尾巴轻轻一甩就可能要了他们的命。获救后，她并没有立即逃走，而是游到每位潜水员身边，轻轻地蹭了蹭他们。“我觉得她是在感谢我们，”一位救援人员说道。

 无论鲸鱼是否能够表达感恩，感恩的确是人类生命中至关重要的一部分。感恩对我们与神的关系至关重要。我们许多人会为一些大的祝福（例如孩子的出生或重病的痊愈）感谢神。然而，保罗教导我们，要为所领受的每一份恩赐、所经历的每一件美好事物都心存感恩。使徒保罗写道，我们要“常常感谢神”（以弗所书 5:20）。不是偶尔，也不是只在特殊时刻，而是时时刻刻。为了强调这一点，保罗又补充道：“要把握每一个机会”，并且“凡事”都要感谢神（16、20节）。 真正的感恩不仅仅是偶尔的几句口头上的感谢，更是用我们生活的姿态表达的。感恩让我们一次又一次地归向神，永远在喜乐中献上感恩。

 反思与祷告 今天，你可以为神赐予的哪些恩赐感谢祂？你如何才能培养感恩的心态？ 亲爱的上帝，请帮助我过上感恩的生活。

作者：威尔·库利尔