Let the Thanks Come Out! #16

One of the characteristics of Paul's letters to the churches was his opening with a word of Thanksgiving. One of the more lengthy and detailed ones was to the church that had the biggest problem with complaining: The church at Corinth:  

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  (I Corinthians 1)

Paul gives credit where credit is due: to God. He is thankful that God had poured out His saving grace on the believers at Corinth, and that in Christ they had everything they needed to know, and all the words they needed to say about anything that really mattered. As He states: so that you are not lacking in any gift - they did not lack or need any super flashy gift or knowledge or power.  In fact, they had enough to sustain them - to carry them through till Christ's return. But as the letter goes on to reveal, they were not satisfied with that; they always wanted the bigger spiritual thrill. They were, of all the churches, the one most like the people of Israel, grumbling in the wilderness. As Paul summarizes in chapter 10: 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. God got tired of hearing them grumbling about never having enough. Let's not be like them. Let the thanks come out!