To all my early morning readers,
This will hopefully be a regular post on devotional thoughts, but I could use an “Amen” here and there to keep me going.
(I’ll get started in one of my favorite books: Philippians).

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”
Now that is a compliment. It’s verses like this that remind me that a bunch of these “books” in our Bible are actually letters written from one person to another (or another community). That they aren’t just instructions or directions for Christian living, but that there is relationship, meaning and purpose behind them.
Paul later says:
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Now that is a hope-filled statement. It’s one thing to be complimented by someone, but we have a tendency to write comments off (I know I do). “they’re just saying that. They don’t really mean it. I mean they know this and this that I’ve done wrong, that can’t possibly thank God for me.” and on and on. But then you read this verse and it negates your disagreement with out an arguement.
God knows you are not perfect! The thankfullness is not just for who you are right now, it is also for who you are becoming.
Let our thoughts and comments be showered with thankfulness when thinking about our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are works-in-progress. I shouldn’t be too stuck in my ways, I’m open to change, to seeing things differently, to being shaped and molded by the thoughts and prayers of others. God’s still working on me.