BE THANKFUL...

Today I read the story of the ten lepers again in Luke 17 and I froze, realizing how much of an ingrate I have been. These were lepers who were weary of their condition and cried out to Jesus to help. I would imagine that they had cried out to him severally. Finally, Jesus decides to have mercy on them and they are cleansed, all is well, until only one of them is grateful enough to come back and thank the Healer. The nine others walked away without looking back. And Jesus asked, “Where are the nine”?

 Well, we are not lepers, but the truth of the matter is that we behave like the nine lepers every other day, and we just think….”oh well, God doesn’t care, he probably wouldn’t notice, He’s God after all, and doesn’t need my thanksgiving” but I saw today, that the Healer was careful enough to ask about the nine others who failed to give thanks.

How many times have we failed to notice the little miracles splattered all around us and always murmur for something bigger? How many times do we feel like until God opens a twenty-five years ‘shut door’, or lands us our dream job then we don’t need to thank him? Let me tell you a secret about God, (thank me later) when we thank Him for the little things, he does much more. He actually wants to see our attitude towards the ‘insignificant’ things, because that reveals the true state of our heart. If you can just say “Thank you Lord for work today, I’M GRATEFUL” that’s more than sufficient!  Do you realize there are tons and tons of people in desperation for the things you have so freely? OH, you haven’t met those on oxygen gasping for air. You haven’t met those on the wheel chair yearning to walk. You haven’t met those feeding off the garbage. You haven’t met those confined to the hospital bed for months and long for fresh air. You certainly haven’t met those sleeping on the streets in the cold.

Have you thanked God today? Will you thank him tomorrow and the day after it for his bountiful love and care to you? By the way, thank you Lord for breath in my body, Family and friends, for foot wears, for a box to put my clothes, for food to eat (some people are complaining that they are daily overfed while hunger is some other people’s last name), for a shelter over my head, for good health and sound mind, for a bed and a pillow to sleep on every night, for my budding natural hair, for clean water….Stop wherever you are right now and thank him for it all.

Look around you, there are too many things to thank him for. When your rise early in the morning, before you sleep and every time in between, say something sweet and precious to him. Pour your gratitude on Him like fine wine. And make it an everyday thing.

Help us dear Lord, to always thank you at all times.

Your turn. What are you thankful for?

                                                                  

Regina U.

ajaregina33@gmail.com