I'm thankful that there is a day set aside to really focus on the blessings in our lives. I'm afraid that if there weren't a designated day, we would continue being distracted with the day-to-day frenzy and forget to take time to really focus on all that we have to be thankful for.
Sometimes this is a pretty simple task. When things are rolling along smoothly, being thankful is usually an automatic response. The real challenge is when things are, at first glance, discouraging, bleak, and sometimes seemingly hopeless. These times prove to be difficult-if not impossible-in responding with praise and thanksgiving.
We're spending Thanksgiving at the beach with Dana's mom and my family. Last night, we attended a Thanksgiving service at my mother-in-law's church. He spoke on Luke 17:11-19 and some things really jumped out to me...
This is the passage when Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and as He approached a village at the border of Samaria and Galilee, there were 10 men with leprosy.
Now take a minute to imagine what that would've been like. You have spent your life with a label of being 'unclean.' You are not allowed to be around anyone for fear of spreading this dreadful disease. You have lived a life of loneliness and endured looks of disgust and stares from others, and had to live with painful sores. All you want, is to have the chance to live a normal life and experience a life being in the presence of those you care about.
They gather enough courage, as a group, to wait for Jesus and they cry out to Him (from a distance)..."Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Jesus saw them and 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? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then He said to him, "Rise and go, your faith has made you well."
A lot of times when we cry out and pray for something in our lives, we have a certain 'answer' that we're wanting and expecting. I'm sure these men were expecting/wanting Jesus to heal them on the spot.
I know I do.
But Jesus said, "Go show yourselves to the priests."
Umm...excuse me, Jesus. Ugh, how is that going to heal me?
But in this passage, they didn't question if they heard Him right or even question Jesus' answer. It says...as they went, they were healed. Not the other way around. That speaks loudly to me. How many times have I expected healing and when it didn't immediately happen, I become discouraged or maybe even bitter and assume that God didn't answer my prayer. How premature of me! When all He wanted was for me to obey (even when I don't understand) and then the healing comes.
The other thing that jumped out at me was that one--ONE--leper was so filled with gratitude and thanksgiving that he returned to Jesus and fell at His feet. The other nine went on their way.
Did it keep Jesus from healing all of them? (surely He knew this would be their response.) NO.
But did it hurt Him? I believe His response shows that.
We are all those lepers when it gets down to it. We are all in need of His healing in our lives. The sores may not be visible to others but they're there. The questions are:
Will we ask for His healing?
Will we question His timing, His answer, His response prematurely?
Will we be the ONE that is so overwhelmingly thankful, the ONLY response we can possibly have is to return to Jesus' feet with praise and a grateful heart?
I think nothing would make Him happier...
Happy Thanksgiving!
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