Written By: Rev. Shana Dry
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men with skin diseases approached him. Keeping their distance from him, they raised their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, show us mercy!” When Jesus saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they left, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he had been healed, returned and praised God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus replied, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? No one retuned to praise God except this foreigner?” then Jesus said to him, “Get up and go. Your faith has healed you.” Luke 17:11-19
For those of us who think thanksgiving is optional, this gospel story shows how very important it is to take time to give thanks.
One of our problems is that we are blessed in so many ways that we can begin to take them for granted. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that if the stars came out only once a year, everybody would stay up all night to look at them. He observed that we have seen the stars so often that we don’t bother to look at them anymore. It’s easy for us to be like that. We can become so accustomed to our blessings that we can lose our sense of gratitude.
The other day I was folding laundry and I told my daughter to come get her laundry and put it away. She walked into the laundry room and picked up the basket and turned to walk out without saying a word. I said “Did you forget to say something?” She looked at me with such a black stare she had no clue she should say thank you for the clean clothes. I explained to her she should thank you for the clean clothes and she said, “OH YEA! Thanks Mom!”
When we are thankful for the many blessings we have received we become candidates for the greatest blessing anyone can obtain. Forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation are God’s gifts to those who are willing to fall at Jesus feet and say, “Thank You.” We have been blessed. A right attitude about what we have already received can produce unimaginable benefits in the future.
Prayer: Thank you God for the life that you have blessed me with. I asked this day that you lead me God to a more grateful life of being aware of my many blessings each and every day.
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