LUKE 17:17

May the Church of God never be numbered among the nine who somehow forgot or became so busy and preoccupied with their renewed lease on life that it slipped them to even return to say a simple “Thank you.” I really wonder if it simply missed them – the extensive magnitude of the miracle that just transpired in their lives. Their ingratitude embarrasses us, causing us to take even a renewed look at ourselves. How many times the Lord magnificently blesses us, and we somehow overlook it and take it for granted as if He is obligated just to dispense blessings on us and we act like “Oh well He should understand we are busy!” How could we interrupt our busyness just to express what we believe He already knows.

Almost in disbelief, Luke records for his readers Jesus’ response and remark to the one sober, sensible leper who had the decency to return just to say thanks. For him, there was no way he could have received such a divine act of mercy and continued as if nothing happened. Good sense and reasoning just wouldn’t allow him! He had to turn back! He felt it necessary even to open his mouth loudly, to fall on his face at Jesus’ feet, to give thanks and to glorify God (vv 15,16). He also knew this couldn’t wait. He felt compelled in the freshness of his healing to engage in a real live thanksgiving service. So often we want to be private with the praise and thanksgiving. Yet, when they wanted the miracle, they loudly petitioned even publicly. They interrupted Him. Luke declares they cried out from far off “. . . Jesus, Master have mercy on us” (v13).

I am praying that at this Thanksgiving season many of us will be like this one leper who found it completely scandalous and unacceptable not to return and loudly express his heartfelt feeling of gratitude. He broke ranks with the ten and formed a one-man band of radical praise-giving and thankful worshipping. The question reverberates from Jesus “. . . were there not ten cleansed, but where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17).

As we celebrate Thanksgiving 2024, we are seriously inviting the nine to return to the table of real gratitude and mindful worship. The insanity of ingratitude can never be allowed to engulf and envelop our community of the redeemed. We turn back to give praise and thanksgiving and conscientiously praise. We show up today! We turn out in our numbers to register our sincere gratitude for every blessing dispensed. Lord, we thank you for every gift! We simply thank you!

May we have the best Thanksgiving ever, prominently keeping in mind that thanksgiving for us is not just a season or a day, but a lifestyle! We turn back and even with a loud voice, glorify God, giving Him thanks! We say to one and all – Happy Thanksgiving!