Thanksgiving

“Kuyamika Yehova n’kwabwino.”​—Salimo 92:1. Anatero munthu wina wakale, ndipo moona mtima chifukwa kuyenera kuzindikirika kuti madalitso onse amachokera kwa Mulungu wathu.

Anthu enieni a Mulungu, Israyeli, anaphunzitsidwa m’chichitidwe chofunika koposa chimenechi, ndipo kaamba ka ichi panakhazikitsidwa madyerero otchedwa Phwando la Misasa, monga momwe kwalembedwera mu Lev. 23:34-43 , m’nthaŵi imene ana a Israyeli anayenera kukumbukira zochitika zogwirizanitsidwa ndi kuwomboledwa kwawo kwakukulu ku Igupto.

Zaka 3,000 pambuyo pake, atsamunda atayamba kuloŵerera m’dziko limene linadzatchedwa New England, ndipo pambuyo pa chidziŵitso chodetsa nkhaŵa cha matenda, imfa ndi nyengo yoipa, kukolola kochuluka kunawapatsa chiyembekezo chatsopano ndi kulimba mtima kupitiriza ntchito imene anali nayo. anayamba mu Dziko Latsopano. Chotero, iwo anadzimva kukhala wokakamizika kusonyeza chiyamikiro chawo kwa Mulungu. Pambuyo pake, tsiku lapadera linasankhidwa ndi Bwanamkubwa wa Boma kuti achite izi. Pambuyo pake, mwa chilengezo cha Purezidenti wa United States, ilo linasankhidwa kukhala holide ya dziko, kotero kuti mtunduwo ukhale ndi mwaŵi wa kuima kaye ndi kusinkhasinkha pa zifukwa zambiri zosonyeza chiyamikiro zoonekeratu zimene zayandikira.

Malingaliro athu, komabe, ayenera kupitilira chiyamiko cha madalitso akanthawi, chifukwa awa ndi gawo laling'ono chabe la mdalitso womwe umabwera kwa iwo amene alawa Mawu a Moyo, ndipo mwa iwo apeza mwayi wofikira kukhalapo kwa Wopereka aliyense. mphatso yabwino ndi yangwiro, Atate wathu wa Kumwamba.

Choncho, tipenda mawu ena a mtumwi Paulo opezeka m’makalata ake opita ku mipingo yosiyanasiyana. Iwo amavumbula zimene Paulo anali zifukwa zofunika kuthokoza, ndipo anatenga malo kumayambiriro kwa makalata ake kwa mipingo. M’chilichonse cha zimenezi, iye anapeza mpata woyamikira kaamba ka umboni wa kukula kwawo kwachikristu.

M’mawu ake kwa gulu la anthu a Mulungu ku Roma, iye anati pa Aroma 1:8-9 : “Choyamba, ndiyamika Mulungu wanga mwa Yesu Kristu chifukwa cha inu nonse, kuti chikhulupiriro chanu chanenedwa m’dziko lonse lapansi. Pakuti Mulungu amene ndimtumikira ndi mzimu wanga mu Uthenga Wabwino wa Mwana wake, ndiye mboni yanga, kuti nthawi zonse ndimatchula za inu m’mapemphero anga kosaleka.”

Nkoyenera chotani nanga kuti Mtumwi wokondedwayo akanena ichi, iye amene ali panthaŵi ino ya kugwirira ntchito mogwira mtima chotero kulinga ku kulimbitsa kwa chikhulupiriro chawo, pakuti m’kalata yomweyi iye akuwonjezera mopambanitsa ku kumvetsa kwawo mbali yofunika koposa ya unansi wofunikira ndi Mulungu. “Pakuti wopanda chikhulupiriro sikutheka kukondweretsa Mulungu” (Aheb. 11:6). Tiyenera kukhala oyamikira chotani nanga chifukwa cha chikhulupiriro, chokhazikika chathu chachikulu mu dziko lamdima ndi lachisokonezo; chikhulupiriro chimene chili ndi malonjezo amtengo wapatali ambiri operekedwa kuti atitonthoze m'Mawu a Mulungu. Ameneŵa ndi magwero opitirizabe a chilimbikitso kwa munthu amene amakhulupirira Mawu ouziridwa. Mosakayikira Mtumwiyo anali ndi chikhulupiriro chochuluka choterocho ndipo anakondwera ndi chiyamiko pa lingaliro la oyera mtima a Mulungu ku Roma kusangalala ndi mwaŵi wodalitsika womwewo.

Paulo analembera mpingo wa ku Korinto kuti: “Chisomo kwa inu, ndi mtendere zochokera kwa Mulungu Atate wathu, ndi Ambuye Yesu Khristu. Ndiyamika Mulungu wanga nthawi zonse chifukwa cha inu, chifukwa cha chisomo cha Mulungu chopatsidwa kwa inu mwa Yesu Khristu; Kuti m’zonse mulemeretsedwa mwa Iye, m’mawu onse, ndi m’chidziwitso chonse.” ( 1   1:3-5

Mpingo uwu unali ndi mikangano ndi magawano. Iye anapeza umboni wa chithupithupi pakati pawo. M’pemphero lake lachiyamiko, Paulo akuwakumbutsa za chisomo chimene anapatsidwa kudzera mwa Yesu Kristu, monga ngati kuwongolera maganizo awo kutali ndi kusiyana kwakung’ono ndi kwa Mulungu, gwero la madalitso awo onse, ndiponso ku nsembe yaikulu imene Yesu anapereka. anali atapanga m'malo mwawo. Paulo analinso woyamikira kuti popeza analoŵa mu unansi wofunika umenewu ndi Mulungu ndi Ambuye Yesu, akanatha kupeza kulemetsedwa m’miyoyo yawo, monga momwe iwo anali asanadziŵepo — ‘kulemeretsedwa mwa Iye m’mawu onse, ndi m’chidziwitso chonse. Kugwiritsa ntchito bwino muutumiki wa Ambuye kungawonjezeke kwambiri ngati mawu athu, pokhala atalemeretsedwa ndi iye, akugwirizana ndi chitsanzo chowonedwa mwa Yesu iye mwini. Zinanenedwa za iye kuti “anthu anazizwa ndi mawu achisomo akutuluka m’kamwa mwake.” ( Luka 4:22 ) Iye anati: Kotero ndithudi ichi ndi chifukwa cha kuyamika, ndipo makamaka pamene chidziwitso chilinso ndi chizindikiro chofanana cha chisomo Chaumulungu. Kulemeretsedwa ndi iye m’chidziŵitso chonse kumasonyeza kuyanjana kwapafupi ndi kokhalitsa ndi iye “amene zolemera zonse za nzeru ndi chidziŵitso zobisika mwa iye.” ( Akol. 2:3 ) Choncho, iye “anabisidwa chuma chonse cha nzeru ndi chidziwitso”. Ndife oyamikira chotani nanga kuti amene analemba mawu ameneŵa anali ndi dalitso limeneli m’moyo wake. Utumiki wake wolemera ndi wobala zipatso uli ndi chizindikiro chotsimikizirika cha kulemeretsa chimene sichikanachokera kwa wina aliyense koma Ambuye amene anamutumikira modzipereka ndi moyamikira.

Mtumwi Paulo analembera mpingo wa ku Filipi kuti: “Ndiyamika Mulungu wanga pokumbukira inu nthawi zonse, m’pemphero langa lililonse la kwa inu nonse ndichita ndikupempha mokondwera, chifukwa cha chiyanjano chanu mu Uthenga Wabwino, kuyambira tsiku loyamba kufikira tsopano.” (Afil. 1:3-5). Kuyamikira ndi kukondwera kwa Paulo sikunali kokha chifukwa chakuti ena kumeneko analandira uthenga wabwino ndipo anali otembenuka mtima, koma kuti iwo anali kupereka umboni wosalakwa wa uthengawo m’kufunitsitsa kwawo kukhala ndi phande m’maudindo olalikira. Panali chiyanjano chotenga nawo mbali pamtengo, zikhale momwe zingakhalire.

Kukumbukira zimene anakumana nazo ku Filipi kunali nthaŵi zosangalalira. Anzake kumeneko anali ndi malo apadera m’chikondi chake. Chikondi ndi kuchereza alendo zinaperekedwa kwa iye ali pakati pawo mosakayikira zinathandiza kuchepetsa masautso amene anam’gwera m’masiku oyambirira a utumiki wake kumeneko. Zikumbukiro za abale amenewa zinali chifukwa cha chiyamiko, ndipo zinachokera kwa Paulo chiyamikiro, “Abale anga okondedwa ndi olakalaka, chimwemwe changa, ndi korona wanga” (Afilipi 4:1). Palibe kudzudzula kapena kudzudzula antchito anzawo okhulupirikawa; uthenga chabe wa chikondi, ndi chilimbikitso ndi pemphero kwa Mulungu mmalo mwawo lodzala ndi chiyamiko.

Paulo analembera Atesalonika kuti: “Tiyenera kuyamika Mulungu nthaŵi zonse chifukwa cha inu, abale, monga kuyenera, pakuti chikhulupiriro chanu chikukula koposa, ndi chikondi cha yense wa inu chikusefukira kwa wina ndi mnzake.” ( 2 Ates. 1:3). Umboni wa kukula kwa chikhristu unali wotero pakati pa abalewa kotero kuti Paulo sanangopereka chiyamiko kwa Mulungu chifukwa cha icho, komanso anadzitamandira nacho pakati pa mipingo ina. Mazunzo ndi zowawa zinadza pa mpingo uwu; komabe, mwa kudekha ndi chikhulupiriro iwo anagwiritsira ntchito bwino koposa zokumana nazo zoterozo. Mavuto anawapangitsa kuyandikirana wina ndi mnzake m’chikondi chokulirapo ndipo chinali chochititsa kukula kwawo m’chikhulupiriro. Kukula kwachikristu kumeneku kunali chifukwa cha chiyamikiro kwa Paulo.

Tikukhalanso m’masiku amdima a kusatsimikizirika, kuipa kwa makhalidwe, ndi kusapembedza; komabe, tiyeni ife tipereke chiyamiko kwa Mulungu Wamphamvuzonse chifukwa cha madalitso a zinthu za dziko lapansi zimene zimachuluka pa mbali iliyonse. Komabe, chiyamikiro chathu chidzakhaladi chosakwanira ngati tikuchiika ku zinthu zooneka ndi zosakhalitsa. Ife, monga momwe Paulo anachitira, timapeza chifukwa chokulirakulira nthaŵi zonse cha kuyamikira, makamaka zinthu zauzimu, zomwe ziri zamuyaya. Tiyeni tisonkhezeredwe kupereka chiyamikiro kwa Mulungu kaamba ka abale athu ndi kukula kwawo kwauzimu ndi kwa ife eni.

“Lowani m’zipata zake ndi chiyamiko, ndi m’mabwalo ake ndi chiyamiko; Pakuti Yehova ndiye wabwino; chifundo chake nchosatha; ndi chowonadi chake chifikira mibadwo mibadwo.”— Salmo 100:4, 5 .

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord” - Psalm 92:1. So said one in olden times, and truthfully so since it must be recognized that it is from our God that all blessings flow.

God’s typical people, Israel, were educated in this most important exercise, and to this end there was instituted a feast of celebration called the Feast of Tabernacles, as recorded in Lev. 23:34-43, during which time the children of Israel were to recall the events associated with their great deliverance out of Egypt.

Three thousand years later, when the colonists had gained a foothold in what was to be called New England, and after a grueling experience with disease, death and a rigorous climate, a bounteous harvest gave them renewed hope and courage to continue the work they had begun in the New World. They, therefore, felt constrained to express their gratitude to God. Subsequently, a special day was appointed by the Governor of the State for this purpose. Later, by proclamation of the President of the United States, it was designated a national holiday, so that the nation might have the opportunity to pause and reflect upon the many causes for gratitude so obvious at hand.

Our thoughts, however, must transcend the gratitude only for temporal blessings, for these are but a small portion of the blessedness that come to those who have tasted the Word of Life, and by it have found access to the presence of the Giver of every good and perfect gift, our Heavenly Father.

We will, therefore, examine some expressions of the Apostle Paul found in his letters to various churches. They reveal what to Paul were important reasons for thanksgiving, and occupied a place at the beginning of his letters to the churches. In each of these, he found occasion for thanksgiving for the evidences of their Christian growth.

In his message to the company of God’s people at Rome, he said in Romans 1:8-9: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”

How fitting that the beloved Apostle would say this, he who is at this point of laboring so effectively toward the strengthening of their faith, for in this very letter he adds immeasurably to their comprehension of the most important aspect of a vital relationship with God. “For without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).
How thankful we should be for faith, our great stabilizer in a dark and chaotic world; faith that lay hold of the many precious promises given for our comfort in God’s Word. These are a continuing source of encouragement to the one who exercises faith in the inspired Word. No doubt the Apostle had such a faith in abundance and rejoiced in thanksgiving at the thought of God’s saints in Rome enjoying the same blessed privilege.

To the church at Corinth, Paul wrote, “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge” (1 Cor. 1:3-5).

This church was beset by strife and division. He found evidence of carnality among them. In his prayer of thanksgiving, Paul reminds them of the grace which had been given them through Jesus Christ, as if to direct their minds away from petty differences and towards God, the source of all their blessings, and also to the great sacrifice which Jesus had made on their behalf. Paul was thankful also that having come into this vital relationship with God and the Lord Jesus, they could experience enrichment in their lives, such as they had never known - “being enriched by Him in every word and in all knowledge.”
Usefulness in the Lord’s service can be greatly enhanced if our words, being enriched by him, conformed to the pattern seen in Jesus himself. It was said of him that “men wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth” (Luke 4:22). Thus indeed is this a cause for thanksgiving, and the more so when the knowledge also has this same mark of Divine favor. To be enriched by him in all knowledge indicates a close and abiding union with him “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). How thankful we are that the one who penned these words had this blessing in his own life. His rich and fruitful ministry bears the unmistakable stamp of enrich-ment which could come from none other than the Lord he so ardently and thankfully served.

To the church at Philippi the Apostle Paul wrote, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil. 1:3-5). Paul’s thankfulness and rejoicing was not only because some there had received the gospel and had been converted, but that they were giving unmistakable evidence of it in their willingness to share in the responsibilities of proclaiming it. There was a fellowship of participation in the cost, be what it may.

Memories of his experiences at Philippi were occasions for joy-fulness. The friends there occupied a special place in his affections. The love and hospitality extended to him while in their midst doubtless helped to mitigate the sufferings which befell him during the early days of his ministry there. Memories of these brethren were cause for thanksgiving, and drew from Paul the compliment, “My brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and my crown” (Phil. 4:1). No criticism or rebuke for these loyal coworkers; just a message of love, and encouragement and a prayer to God on their behalf laden with thankfulness.

To the Thessalonians, Paul wrote, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith is growing exceedingly, and the love of every one of you is abounding towards each other” (2 Thes. 1:3). Evidence of Christian growth was such among these brethren that Paul not only gave thanks to God for it, but also boasted about it among the other churches. Persecutions and afflictions came upon this church; nevertheless, by patience and faith they made the best use of such experiences. Hardships caused them to draw closer to each other in an abounding love and was the cause of their growing abundantly in faith. This Christian growth was to Paul a cause for thanksgiving.

We are also living in dark days of uncertainty, moral corruption, and godlessness; nevertheless, let us give thanks to Almighty God for the blessings of temporal things which abound on every hand. However, our gratitude will indeed be incomplete if we confine it to the things seen and temporal. We, as Paul did, find an ever expanding reason for gratitude, especially for the spiritual things, which are eternal. Let us be moved to offer thanksgiving to God for our brethren and their spiritual growth as well as for our own.

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations” Psalm 100:4,5.

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