Grace and peace to you, my dear gardeners, on this wonderful day of Thanksgiving. These words greet you in the beautiful tradition of the Apostle Paul who began nearly every letter to his friends recorded in the New Testament in this endearing manner. I hope you have had a day to treasure! I’m sure you join me in being grateful for living in a nation with a heritage of giving thanks, gleaned from the Holy Words of God cherished by our founders.
Enjoy the following adaptation of “Thankful Paul,” a devotion excerpt from God’s Word for Gardeners Bible, Day 2 from the series on Thanksgiving:
May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, surround you. First, I thank my God through Jesus the Anointed for all of you because we are joined by faith as family, and your faith is spreading across the world. Romans 1:7-8 VOICE
The Lord gives us this precious direction from Paul — to thank God, to never stop giving thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the beginning of nearly every letter he wrote, we see Paul’s grateful heart, uplifted by relationships with his fellow followers; almost always his gratitude was expressed along with a greeting of God’s grace and peace. A glorious medley: Grace, peace and gratitude.
Peace — we have God’s promise to work everything out for our good; God is good (Psalm 136:1; Romans 8:28). What is left, except to be gloriously thankful?
Grace — we have God’s unmerited favor, which has saved us from a horrible outcome and sin’s deserved death (Romans 8:2; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8).
Who can look upon a flower, examine its curious construction, and notice minutely its various parts, without being filled with admiration, and being convinced that “it is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” If the study of flowers will not impress everyone with a sense of thankfulness to the Deity, certainly nothing will.
— An Admirer of Flowers, “On the Cultivation of Flowers…”, The Floriculture Magazine and Miscellany of Gardening, vol. I, no. VIII, Robert Marnock, Editor, January 1837, page 179.
— An Admirer of Flowers, “On the Cultivation of Flowers…”, The Floriculture Magazine and Miscellany of Gardening, vol. I, no. VIII, Robert Marnock, editor, January 1837, page 179.
No wonder Paul’s writings show them to be a constant context for each other. Paul repeatedly confirmed his gratitude along with the fondness he had for the people he met during his travels, those to whom he had the privilege of witnessing, working with and sharing in their growing faith. Certainly he prayed for them and humbly elevated their testimonies, though his own dramatic conversion and dedicated service could have dominated their relationship.
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints Colossians 1:3-4 RSV
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Philippians 1:2-5 RSV
Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2 RSV
To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers. 2 Timothy 1:2-3 RSV
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers Philemon 1:3-4 NIV
Prayer: Lord, thank you for all the blessings you put in my life. Help me to remember to pray for your people. What precious loving-kindness you put in Paul’s heart. I ask you for the same affinity and warm twinkle whenever I think of people with whom I work and live. I am a witness to your glory in them! Give me eyes to see your work in their lives, your love blessing them, your hands taking care of them and their growth in the grasp of your grace and peace.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I continually give thanks to my God for you because of his grace that has been granted to you in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 NCB
Adapted of “Thankful Paul,” a devotion from God’s Word for Gardeners Bible, in the series on Thanksgiving in Garden Tools, beginning on page a-39
Do you love connecting God’s Word to your gardening work and the trees and flowers around you? You will love my new book, My Father is the Gardener, Devotions in Botany and Gardening of the Bible, order at this link.
Read more on Thanksgiving from the Devotions Blog
Photo Credits: Cover plate from The Floriculture Magazine and Miscellany of Gardening, vol. I, no. VIII, Robert Marnock, Editor, January 1837, available at Google Books; all other flower photos ©Shelley S. Cramm
NCB denotes Scripture taken from the SAINT JOSEPH NEW CATHOLIC BIBLE® Copyright © 2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
NIV denotes Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®
RSV denotes Scripture quotations taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
VOICE denotes Scripture quotations taken from The Voice™. Copyright © 2012 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
