Jesus healed ten lepers at once, and I am sure that all of them were thankful.
I’m sure of it.
I mean… who wouldn’t be, right? If you were doomed to live out the rest of your life separated from your family, but someone came by and healed you, wouldn’t you be thankful?
I’m sure you would be.
Only, that’s not how the story goes. In fact, only one of them was thankful.
Now, I’m sure they felt thankful in their hearts, but only one of them turned around and expressed it.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. Luke 17:15-19
It seems to me that unexpressed thankfulness is no thankfulness at all.
This week (and this month) is a time of thankfulness. Did you thank God today for being able to see? To think? To walk? To work? For your salvation? For your family? For friendships? For pie?
We live lives that are full of God’s blessings. I’m thankful for you, and I’m excited about the service tonight that we can be those that “returned to give glory to God” the way he desires (see v. 18 above).
–Pastor Ryan