Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving Diamonds!

Luke 17:11-19 (NKJ)

Ten Lepers Cleansed

11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Much can be said about this account of Jesus cleansing the ten lepers but in the spirit of the Thanksgiving Holiday, take a look at the one man who stood out from the others and returned to give thanks. Notice how the Samaritan first gave thanks to God the Father, glorifying Him with a loud voice and then gave thanks to Jesus by falling down on his face at Jesus’ feet. We can see that it is not in the nature of man to express gratitude, even to God. Only one man returned. True gratitude is humility and must be a deliberate act which overcomes flesh for it to have its humble expression.

Let us all, in this season of giving thanks, remember to glorify God and give thanks to Jesus His Son. Meditate on all you are grateful for and generously give humble expressions of gratitude to God and His Son, Jesus for the many blessings that are afforded you because you know Him.

One of the things I am grateful for is my relationship with you and for the Christ centered fellowship we enjoy. You are a part of my joy and abundance and I thank God and His Son Jesus for you. And I thank you personally for your friendship and your fellowship.

Sincerely – Sabrina