I cease not to give thanks for you,

Paul writing to the Ephesians said, “After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers …” (Ephesians 1:15)

Isn’t that a cool thing to give thanks for? Sometimes I think we forget that those in leadership positions, the missionaries, the teachers, are the ones Satan works the hardest on. They need our thanks and prayers. Think about the new convert, or the recently baptized individual. We all need appreciation and prayers. It is good to say thank you in person, but it is also good to say, “Thank thee Lord for (name) who gave such a good talk, or lesson, or said a few kind words to me.   

When my precious daughter was in high school I worried about her a lot even as I did about my sons. It made such an impression on me the day she said to me, “Mother I know when you pray for me.”

What if in our private prayers we say, “Thank thee Lord that (child’s name) made his/her bed this morning,” or whatever.  Think of the positive influence such a prayer would have on the child.  What if we found a reason each day to be grateful for each member of our family? Suppose we told them in person and thanked the Lord for them in our private prayers. Think not only of what that would do for, them but think what it would do for us.   

Somewhere it is written that gratitude makes us glorious.  I think of the Savior and of his great sacrifice for each of us that we might return to our Father in Heaven. He is truly glorious and if we could but obtain a portion of that glory and share it with others this would be a better world. Remember to always be grateful for the sacrifice our Lord made for us and it will come back to us in bucket fulls.