Be Thankful in Prayer 1 Timothy 2:1-7

"Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks..."

Throughout Scripture we are encouraged to give thanks--to have a heart of thanksgiving. This is especially true when we are in the Lord's presence through prayer. The past few days we have been looking at different aspects of prayer and especially the importance of having a right attitude when we approach the Lord. It would be very hard to be grateful if all we had was a complaining attitude when we approached God! When we are around someone who is complaining often or seems ungrateful it takes the joy out of the room! Imagine what an ungrateful heart would do to the "inner room" of your own soul!

The Greek word used in this verse is eucharitos, it depicts an overflowing, grateful heart. This is the same word we get eucharist from. We all give overflowing thanks for the Lord's Table and the sacrifice of Christ that it represents to us!

Remember, Paul is in a Roman prison, Nero is severely persecuting the believers, and the admonition is to put aside any angst against anyone--political or otherwise--and to find an avenue of thankfulness in praying for them. In our super charged atmosphere of today that may seem very difficult but this is not a recommendation, it is a matter of the heart in effective prayer.

God will challenge your heart to pray effectively, with a grateful heart, for someone you would care less praying for--but it is at that point that it may be the Lord desires for you to examine your own hearts attitude so that you then can move forward to pray with hearts of love for whomever the Lord has laid on your heart!

"...giving thanks always for all thing to God the Father in the name of Jesus our Lord..." Eph. 5:20

Let us be thankful today in prayer!