Erin Church Devotions: Thankfulness

How an email from a missionary in South India has given me a greater appreciation of the Lord's servants throughout the world.

Audio version here

2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

I received an email the other day from a Christian in India, who reads our devotionals. Both Tharian Matthew and his wife are working hard teaching Christ’s message in his own community. He writes:

I attended the Scots Kirk in Chennai, India as a kid and was also married in the same church 24 years ago.I live in Tiruchy, in South India with my wife and daughter and edit an English Christian monthly, "Vision of the Christ." My wife and I preach, conduct prayer cells, women’s fellowship and intercessory prayers on different days of the week. We attend the Revival Christian worship centre pastored by Rev. Dr. K. Jacob on Sundays.God bless you and the work you are doing.

It’s amazing how God connects Christ’s Church throughout the world. We are thousands of miles apart, but we are involved in the same work: - that of bringing Christ’s message to the people in our communities. I pray that God blesses Tharian and his family in the ministry and mission that they have accepted for Christ.

Tomorrow, we all celebrate Thanksgiving. As we gather around the table, thanking God for our families and friends, perhaps we should also be thankful for Jesus in our lives, and for all the ministers and missionaries who go out into the world to spread the Gospel, teach God’s people, and praise His Holy Name.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are truly thankful for Your grace that has touched our hearts and transformed our lives. We thank You for the people that You placed in our lives, who were the messengers of Your Word that caused us to accept You in our hearts. Be with Tharian and his wife, their church and community. Bless the work that they do and help us, like them, to bring others to church this Sunday. Make us all ministers and missionaries of Your Gospel. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.