Luk 17:15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"
Where are the nine? Christ had just healed 10, only one showed up to give thanks. This brings up an interesting issue. Jesus pointed out that only one returned and gave praise. This is easy to overlook, but the key is that only one returned. We don’t think much about the other nine do we? Do you think they went off and never thought of Jesus again? Highly doubtful. I can see them continuing along their way, talking about the “great man” that healed them, perhaps they came across some other people that had heard of Christ, do you think they would not have told the story of how Christ healed them? Of course they would have! They were healed! Christ points out that only one returned to give thanks. It makes me think of life today. How often is the Lord blessing our lives? How often does He move on our behalf, and yet we do not return to give thanks. Much like the other nine we too run off into the world with our prayers answered. We might share our experience, we might tell people about how lucky we are, but are we returning? Are we going back to the Lord on a personal level and giving Him the thanks and credit?
If you know me even a little, you know I am big on personal responsibility. This is what I am reminded of when I read this scripture. The debt we often overlook. We are blessed, but we do not give back that blessing. Christ gave His life, God gave His Son…..we were given eternal life, and true freedom, are we thankful? Oh I know, I know, yes we are thankful on some level, but are we returning? Are we showing back up for the Lord in even a fraction of the way He has shown up for us? It is easy to say thank you, it is easy to tip a hat to the Lord, it is easy to speak the words. The challenge comes in the returning. Taking the time to get back to Christ. Taking the time to set the world aside, and be thankful.
Think of the last time you gave your child something, if you do not have a child then think of the last time you asked your parents for something. When it was given, or received, was it just an empty hand filled, then a quick thanks….you know the kind I am talking about, just a quick afterthought. A nicety, a good manner instilled by generations before us. That is not thanks, that is being pleasant. When we are thankful for something it overwhelms us doesn’t it? It floods our hearts with gratitude, and joy. SO much so that we first want to find that person, and shower them not just with thanks, but with a true out pouring of love, and thankfulness. Then what is the very next thing? When we are thankful, truly thankful, what is the first thing we want to do? We say Ohhh I have to do something for them. Folks, that is the return. That is what Christ is looking for. Yes be thankful, yes, say the words, but we have to remember to return that thanks. The best way we can do that is by living that thanks out loud. I am sure that all 10 of those healed were thankful, if they were to see Christ again, I bet they would say, “hey, thanks for the hook up, that was awesome” however, the one that returned, you can bet he was changed forever. He was truly thankful, he returned, he made the trip, he put forth the effort.
Let us challenge ourselves to be the 1 out of 10. This week, let us be on the lookout for God’s blessing, and when we find it, let us be thankful. Let us shout form the rooftops, and let us allow it to change our lives the way the Lord intended. A blessing is only a blessing, if we allow it to be.
In Christ,
Brian Thetford C.T.B.
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