Thankful
Ten were healed. One returned. One remembered to say "Thank you!"
No small matter being healed of leprosy. Dreadful. Aweful. Untouchable. Condemned. Could not live with family. Could not touch other people. Could not go inside Temple to worship. Reduced to life of a beggar. No surgery. No medicines. Few friends...and only those likely in same condition or worse.
A healed leper. Dead skin gone. Nerves back to health. Feeling. Seeing. No ugly smell. Back to living. Back to family. Back to church. Back to walking through town without children running away from you. No longer being required to cry out "Unclean!" to warn those ahead of you that a contamination was approaching.
Ten healed. Nine went on their way. Nine took the blessing of what they could not do for themselves and went on their merry way. To where we do not know. They were supposed to go to the temple for ceremonial cleansing. Did they? We do not know.
What we do know is that nine did not return to Jesus. Nine celebrated good health without thanking the Doctor. Nine immediately thought of other things more important than expressing appreciation. Nine had been "resurrected from being as good as dead," but the new life given back to them freed them to make a choice. Nine chose not to say "Thank You!"
Thanksgiving is not an American invention. We are not the only country to set aside a day of rejoicing for blessing.
Thanksgiving is not a synonym for turkey dinners and homemade apple pie. Attitude, character, integrity are the backbone of a way of life, the doing of faith, the action of recognizing kindness on the part of other people and mercy and grace from God Our Father. Thursday will come.
I hope you will have a wonderful day. Whatever you eat. Whoever you are with. Will you take time to express appreciation to those who have been generous to encourage and help you along the way?
Will you take time to recognize and appreciate the joy of salvation and the privilege of being a child of God? Will you make a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for the Gift of Jesus Christ and the plan of redemption that includes you in the Church?
Pastor Bare
I Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.