1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 records a trilogy of exhortations. Verse 18 is the longest and broadest: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” This call to thanksgiving is among the practical instructions for Christian living. Yet it is basic etiquette that parents teach children to practice. We may need to be commanded to rejoice and pray. But giving thanks seems to be the most obvious thing to do. We instinctively respond to random acts of kindness by almost thoughtlessly saying, “Thank you.” Yet it is crucial that we hear and heed this command because of its far-reaching implications. Thanksgiving should not be limited to good days, positive outcomes, or favorable circumstances. Give thanks in all circumstances.  Why give thanks in all circumstances? Verse 18 answers: “For this is the will of God...

Sunday morning – January 10, 1982 – Edmund Gravely took off from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in his small plane, heading to Statesville, Georgia, to pick up a new plane he had recently bought. Not long after takeoff, he reported to air traffic controllers that he was turning around because he was feeling ill. Edmund then had a massive heart attack six thousand feet in the air. His only passenger was his wife, Janice. She was not a pilot. But she took the controls and managed to keep the plane in the air for two hours. “Help! Help! Won’t someone...

What is the shortest verse in the Bible? The most obvious answer is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” That answer is right and wrong. John 11:35 is the shortest verse in English translations. In the Greek New Testament, the shortest verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16: “Rejoice always.”   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 records three instructions: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This snapshot of spiritual devotion begins with rejoicing. “Rejoice” was a watchword among early Christians. The Greek term was used as a salutation.  Jesus used it as a greeting in Matthew 28:9.  Paul used it as a farewell in 2 Corinthians 13:11.  We greet one another with “Hello” and “Goodbye.” What encouragement it would be if...