A Time For Gratitude

 

 Luke 17:11-19

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

As we as a nation celebrate Thanksgiving with families gathering together from scattered locations and sharing a meal that has become ritualized, we take time to reflect on this "foreigner's" expression of gratitude and how it touched Jesus.  In the USA most people will be able to share a special meal, either at home, with relatives, or in places that provide it for those who have no home.  A key factor of the day is the expression of gratitude, of thanks for the many blessings we share and don't often acknowledge. Do we say thank you to our family and friends for their love and support given in overt or in subtle ways throughout the year? Do we thank God, above all others, for his constant love, forgiveness and unending efforts to play a major role in our lives? God never stops offering his love to us.  Let us make him the major recipient of our gratitude today. THANK YOU, DEAR GOD!  Happy Thanksgiving to ALL.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, so often we take each day's gifts and graces for granted, but today I want to stop and say Thank You from the bottom of my heart of your constant love and care, without which I would perish. Amen.