Luke 17:11-19 leads us to the following reflection! Are you grateful to God for everything He does in your life?
Gratitude means the recognition by a person of someone who has provided them with a benefit, help, or favor. Gratitude is a thank you. Many wonder why we should be grateful to God? The answer is simple, because we should be grateful for the simple reason that at dawn we rise, we are alive, healthy, breathing, seeing, walking, and speaking. We should thank God every day, because the Bible teaches us that we should give thanks to God always.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
There were ten lepers who, when they saw Jesus passing by, began to cry out to be healed. Those men could not approach, because their illness excluded them from society, but at that moment they were before someone who could heal them from their infirmities.
And it came to pass, that, as he went to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. (Luke 17:11-13)
Those men recognized that Jesus could do something for them, but unfortunately out of the ten, nine did not manage to return to thank for the miracle that the Lord performed in their lives. Only one returned in an act of gratitude, with humility to recognize what Jesus had done in his life.
And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, (Luke 17:14-15)
Only those who possess the humility to recognize can give thanks. It is regrettable to say, but many times we fail to recognize what God has done for us. We end up asking God for many things and unfortunately do not return to thank when we achieve them. Jesus, by sending the lepers to show themselves to the priests, as they went walking they achieved the healing of their infirmity. At that moment when all ten lepers were cleansed, only one returned to thank the master for what had happened.
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? (Luke 17:16-17)
Many times we behave like the nine, we cry out, shout, weep, implore, but when we receive, unfortunately we do not return with humility to give thanks. It is regrettable when man lets the blessings fill the place of God in our lives. Jesus then asks: “Were not ten cleansed? Why did only one return?” Only one foreigner knew how to recognize what Jesus had done for him. Only those who possess humility can be grateful for the benefits that are granted to them. The humble person has a pure heart, they can reciprocate, just as that man returned in thanksgiving.
How many times are we blessed and do not return to reciprocate? How many times has someone helped us, encouraged us, and even shown confidence in us. And at certain moments we fail to help, to encourage other people, to trust, we fail to be grateful. We forget that one day someone used benevolence toward us, and with that we let gratitude and humility be taken by pride.
What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? (Psalm 116:12)
The Psalmist in his most extraordinary wisdom leads us to an extraordinary reflection, where we stop and think. What could we give to God in thanksgiving for all the benefits He has done for us? The psalmist was concerned about wanting to give something to God for the benefits he had received. And today we too should have this concern, because it is through our worship that we offer an offering in thanksgiving for everything God has done for us.
For our reflection
This week, just this week. If we count from today’s date back to seven days ago, how many times did you thank God? How many times did you say to God thank you for the air I breathe, for the bread that feeds me, for the water that quenches my thirst, for what I possess, for the dawn, for the dusk? How many times did you say God thank you for my family, for my health, for my home, for my ministry, thank you for the dream that became a conquest? How many times did you give thanks? How many times did you stop this week and say to God thank you for everything?
Psalm 116:12 leads us to reflect that most of the time we behave like the nine, and not like the one, many times we behave selfishly, thinking that God must give us, and that we do not need to return and thank. The one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, and this Samaritan teaches us that the blessing is wonderful, but much better is to return and meet again with the blesser. That man teaches us that we should not behave like the crowd.
We conjecture that the nine, upon being healed, went to meet their families again, to put their lives in order. They were concerned only with themselves. The Samaritan was the only one who was concerned to return and thank the owner of the miracle. God is willing to bless everyone who cries out to Him and seeks with all their heart, but above all, God loves those who know how to receive and give thanks.
Therefore be grateful to God at this moment, many are descending to the grave, many are entering hospitals, but it pleased God that you are today with life and health. Be grateful for the family you have, be grateful for the job you have, for the air you breathe, for the breath of life, for being able to see, hear, speak and walk. Be grateful to God for the smallest things, because God loves those who at all times give Him thanks.
May with this simple study we understand that we must have humility when entering the presence of this so powerful God, we must recognize His power, sovereignty, mercy and glory. We must be concerned to thank God always!
