By And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
Surely, we have so much to be thankful for. Our homes, our jobs, and our finances are important to us, and we should be thankful. Our families and friends cannot be replaced and we can’t be thankful enough for them. One thing we often place on the backburner is our eternal salvation.
As we age, we begin to realize that what we have here is wonderful, but it will not last. However, our souls are eternal. Therefore, eternal salvation is the most important thing of all – we should be extremely thankful for it.
We are thankful for salvation that could come no other way except through Jesus. As we study the Old Testament, we cannot imagine the number of sacrifices made for the sins of the people of Israel. Those animal sacrifices were not enough because they could not change the people. Those sacrifices simply pointed to the supreme sacrifice of Jesus himself. Hebrews 9:12 says this clearly: “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” We cannot save ourselves. We are saved by grace through faith in the One who gave himself for us.
We are thankful for salvation that is a free gift. Jesus paid the price for us when He went to the cross. This salvation is free to all who will receive it. It is up to us to decide what we will do with this gift He offers. John 1:11-12 says, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
Once we have received the gift of salvation, we can trust Him to help us live lives that will reflect our commitment to Him. We can also rest assured that He will keep us in this life and throughout eternity. Truly, we can be thankful for salvation that will last forever.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
by leaps and bounds 