November 27, 2024
LISTEN TO AUDIO
The Gospel of Luke tells the story about Jesus healing ten lepers: “Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’” Luke 17:11-19, NIV
These ten lepers were living on the margins of society. Leprosy had made them ritually unclean so they were not only prohibited from worshipping in the synagogue, they were separated from their families, friends and the community because of their disease. They called out to Jesus: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (17:13) Jesus commanded them to go and show themselves to the priests. And as they went, they were made clean. So far, this story is similar to other miracle stories in the Gospels. However, at this point in the story, an interesting thing happened – one of the lepers, the Samaritan, “saw” that he was healed, “came back,” praised God, fell at Jesus’ feet, and thanked Him. Then Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?" The fact that the Samaritan leper thanked Him, was important to Jesus. Then Jesus said to the Samaritan, "Rise up and go; your faith has made you well."
This story isn’t just about Jesus’ healing lepers. Its main point is the response of the Samaritan. Jesus physically healed all ten lepers. But the fact that the Samaritan thanked Jesus was not only important to Jesus, it also has spiritual connotations. The Samaritan’s gratitude is a sign of his understanding of who Jesus truly was. The Greek word translated “made well” can also be translated “saved” as in SALVATION.
Jesus himself gave thanks to God in other Gospel stories – when he fed the five thousand, when he brought Lazarus back to life, and when he prayed over the bread and wine at the last supper. Giving thanks is important to Jesus.
Have you ever experienced a blessing so profound that you couldn’t help but stop and give thanks?
Not only is “Thanks!” a powerful word, a thankful attitude can be helpful in our every-day lives. In his letter to the Philippians the Apostle Paul writes: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6, NIV
Saying "Thanks" can heal broken relationships. Even when things are going well it's good relationship maintenance to say “Thanks” for the things people do for us or to just be thankful for them being there for us. William Arthur Ward (1921-1994), American pastor and teacher, said: “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
Being thankful can heal sadness and despair. If I can remember my blessings and be thankful, I have a hard time staying sad. As we count our blessings, we become increasingly aware of how truly blessed we are and how precious we are to God. Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), a Catholic priest and author, said: “Gratitude is the most fruitful way of deepening your consciousness that you are not an ‘accident,’ but a divine choice.”
Being grateful can help when we miss those we love. When our children were growing up and starting to pull away and we were spending less and less time together, all I could think about was how much I missed them. So, I prayed to God and He made me realize that one of the facts of life is that we can never spend enough time with those we love. Now the kids are adults and they live in different cities. I still don’t see them as often as I would like, so I have to continually remind myself that I need to be thankful for the time I do have with them. And I am.
Being thankful can heal grief over loved ones who have died. As we grow older, family members and friends are dying. I miss them – especially during the holidays. But I am thankful that I knew them and that they were part of my life.
Sometimes I tend to focus on what I don't have instead of what I do have, on what's wrong instead of what's right, on what's bad instead of what's good. Do you ever do that? Focusing on the wrong things can interfere with our fully receiving the blessings God intends for us. St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) wrote these words of wisdom: “The children of Israel did not find in the manna all the sweetness and strength they might have found – not because the manna did not contain them, but because they longed for other food.” Do we do that? Do we “long for other food” and by doing so, fail to find all the “sweetness and strength” that might be found in the blessings we do receive?
We ought to be thankful for all the blessings that God gives us. And, basically, that's everything! Everything in our life is a gift from God!
Where do we begin to count our blessings? What can we be thankful for? Well, for starters, how about our lives? That breath you just took … and that one … and that one. This day. Our health. Our family and friends. Food, shelter, clothing, work and study. God the Father. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit.
God is constantly blessing us and healing us. What is our response? Jesus made all of the ten lepers physically clean. Are we like the nine who accept their physical healing and then go on to their fates? Or are we going to follow the example of the one thankful Samaritan, and see, stop, come back to Jesus, fall to our knees, praise God from whom all blessings flow, and thank Jesus Christ for our salvation?
The Psalmist said: "Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 100:3-4, NIV
As you reflect on the blessings you have received from the Lord, may you grow in faith, hope and gratitude, living your life as a testimony to His goodness.
REMEMBER & BELIEVE
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
In the meantime, give thanks to the Lord!
QUESTION
When you reflect on the blessings in your life, are you like the nine who move on, or the one who stops to praise and thank the Lord?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, recognizing that every good and perfect gift comes from You. Help us to be like the one leper who stopped, turned back and gave thanks. Open our eyes to see Your hand at work in our lives. Grant us the humility to acknowledge Your goodness and the joy to praise You in all things. Forgive us when we focus on what we lack rather than what we have, and remind us daily of Your unfailing love and abundant provision. Above all, we thank You for the greatest gift of all – our salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May our lives overflow with thanksgiving, glorifying You in every thought, word and deed.
Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil and the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (NRSV)
Happy Thanksgiving!
God bless you!
Richard
Christ Worshipper | Disciple Maker | Hope Giver
Welcome to In the Meantime. I'm glad you're here! We are living in the time between Christ's ascension into heaven and His promised return to earth. In the Meantime is a collection of stories about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and His presence, love, mercy and grace in my life. In the Meantime, Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!
hi RICHARD, please add my wife Jeanne Suttles to your list. It’s Jeanne 314 tx@gmail.com. Thanks, Jeff.