Gray-Chairperson of the Board

It’s a season of Thanksgiving, although it often gets forgotten, doesn’t it? Sandwiched between what have become two big commercial holidays, Halloween and Christmas. I think companies figured out long ago that our wants and desires are what fuel our spending, but our gratitude, well… not so much. Gratitude leads to contentment, which doesn’t add up to profit well when it comes to advertising, does it? So this season of Thanksgiving tends to be forgotten in our commercial culture.

Let’s be people who lean into this season of Thanksgiving. As Christ’s redeemed and forgiven people, we should be thankful people every day.

It seems Paul lived a life full of Thanksgiving. In most of his letters, he begins by giving thanks. Quite often, as soon as he greets his co-laborers with the grace and peace of God, he is quick to then give thanks.

You can see it in the first few verses of Romans, 1 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 2 Timothy and Philemon. Paul gives thanks in all circumstances. While ministering, while traveling, even while suffering in prison -- he gives thanks.

And do you know what he’s thankful for? He says, essentially, “I’m thankful for YOU.” He’s thankful for his co-workers in Christ. And specifically, for their faith. For their partnership. For their reputation that is growing and spreading across the known world because of their loving work and their sincere faith. He remembers his friends, and he gives thanks for them, because, even though they are not physically together, they are still working alongside him for Christ to build the kingdom of God.

So, friends of Isaac Ministries, we give thanks for YOU. As Paul says in his first letter to the Thessalonians - we give thanks “for your work produced by your faith, your labor prompted by love, your endurance inspired by hope.”

The work of Isaac Ministries happens alongside you, with you, and we are so thankful, every time we remember you. 

And in this season of thanksgiving, as we remember to be thankful FOR these things, FOR each other, let’s be sure to remember who it is we give that thanks TO. It’s more than just a general feeling of gratitude and thanksgiving. We are thankful TO God, thankful that He not only gives us an abundance of love and mercy and hope, but also that He, in all His sovereignty, invites us to be part of it! He invites us to share and multiply and magnify that love and mercy and hope. And then on top of all that, He gives us co-workers to share the work. He gives us co-laborers to encourage and bless and inspire each other so we can endure and persevere in our faith. 

So we give thanks. To God. For each other. May our gratitude carry with it the peace and grace of Christ to continue to empower you as we share the work of building God’s kingdom.