“giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:12).
Colossians 1:12 reminds us that we do not qualify ourselves for eternal life. Instead, it is God who qualifies us, for it is He who enables us to be “…partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” That is something that should inspire an attitude of thankfulness and appreciation for the God who has enabled us to partake of this inheritance and everything else we possess.
Of course, there are many self-made individuals who have achieved success through hard work, commitment, perseverance, self-sacrifice, and the will to overcome adversity. These are admirable qualities that are worthy of honor and respect. Nevertheless, its appropriate to ask this question: where did those qualities come from? For instance, if God did not allow us to possess the important attributes of good health, intellectual aptitude, and the ability to work, those other admirable qualities would be worth very little.
In light of this, we should offer our thanks and appreciation to the God who has provided us with the skills, talents, opportunities, and abilities we possess. We can illustrate this concept with an experience from Jesus’ life…
“As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ He looked at them and said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God!’ He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’ And Jesus said to the man, ‘Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you'” (Luke 17:11-19 NLT).
This incident from Jesus’ ministry tells us that He takes note of those who are lacking in gratitude and appreciation for what He has done. While there may be many who travel the road of life with little or no acknowledgment or appreciation for God’s provision in their lives, we should not fail to give “…thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”