Remember to say "Thank you"

Remember the story of the leper who returned to Jesus with a thankful spirit? Jesus healed ten men in the story, but only one returned to thank Him. Isn’t it a shame that out of ten men, only one was grateful that Jesus had radically changed his life?


“On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."

Luke 17:11-19


Being thankful for your family, your home, your food, and other things you have are important, but they are not the most important things. Remember that the most important things that you have to be thankful for are the things that God has done in your life. The way he has reached out to you and called you His son or daughter is a blessing, and the gift of salvation is not something to be taken lightly. Remember to spend some time being thankful this year for the blessing it is to be called one of God’s children.

Faithful?

I was talking with some friends last night and they told me about a couple who were getting married. Come to find out, the bride hooked up with a groomsman hours before the wedding and did the same thing with another random guy she met while they were on their honeymoon... Needless to say, the marriage didn't last long...

After hearing that, we think about how wrong it was for that girl, but are we really any different? God illustrates this for us perfectly with the story of Hosea. If you haven't read it, it's a good one. God tells Hosea to go and marry a prostitute named Gomer. He obeys and does it, but as time goes by, she continues to cheat on him and leave the house to return to her former way of life, but Hosea continues to love her and repeatedly has to go find her and bring her back home, even having to buy her out of slavery.

This picture is one of how God relates to us.

God is continually loving toward people like me and you who continue to cheat on Him. He seeks to bless us and wants us to earnestly and passionately seek after Him through the avenues He gives to us like the Bible and prayer, but we don't... He wants us to obey His rules He has put in place for us and our benefit, like to love those around us and to avoid the empty things of this world that we are bombarded with every day. But do we?

Why is it that it is so easy for us to see that the story of the woman who cheated as wrong and just sad on her part, but we only come running back to God when it's convenient? I am praying that I will be a faithful follower and child of the God who loves me.