Thank Him More

DEVOTION
PHILIMON
THANK HIM MORE
Philem 4-5
4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
NIV
I think it is one to pray for another believer, and to have good thoughts about them from time to time when I am together with them, but it is entirely a different thing which is express here. I am not sure I can actually say that when I remember someone in my prayer time, that I thank God for them, or even when God brings someone to my mind for the purpose of seeking him on their behalf. That is not a good thing. I am aware of this verse, I have taught on this verse, I have written about this verse before in my communications with someone, in which I did remind him I was thanking God for him, but I do not think this is a normal part of my prayer life. I do think the reason for being thankful for fellow believers is at the heart of this issue. I may not be able to thank God for some of the actions of my fellow believers. I may not be able to thank God when I remember how they may have treated me, or how they nay behave from time to time. But I do think I should be able to thank God because they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I do have to wonder about the love part for all the saints. How can I thank God for something I do not see? Am I just not looking, or seeing the love for all the saints, or is the church actually not engaged in that behavior? Maybe some of my fellow believers are and I am just unaware. Then I have to ask myself do I have love for all the saints, and if not, how can I expect others to so I can thank God for their faith and love? What does that love for all the saints look like? How is that expressed? I think first of all it has to be a heart issue. This love has to come from within, a driving overwhelming force rather than simply an act of obedience to God. Although being obedient is very commendable, and should be noted and I should be able to thank God for their obedience, I think this loving of all the saints cannot be out of obedience only. It has to be pure and without any agenda for the believer doing the loving except to benefit the Kingdom of God. If I say loving all the saints makes me feel good about myself, I think I have missed the mark, or even if I don’t say it but merely think it. But, I still have to thank God for those, when I remember them, and that is another issue all together. How often do I remember them, and especially in my prayers? I think all too often prayers include asking God for the needs of self and sometimes for the needs of others, but far too often it does not include thankfulness for others. It is good to be reminded of this issue of my heart. I will thank him more.