In many years of ministry, I have seen people who were truly thankful to God for help and healing. Their lives were changed in a single moment, so they devoted themselves to worshipping and serving God for the rest of their days. I, also, am one of them, because when God heard my cry for help about my alcoholism, He graciously answered my anxious prayer by restoring me physically, mentally, and above all, spiritually. I was made into a new person and decided to follow Jesus for the rest of my life.

The man in Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan was not the only foreigner commended by Jesus. The other good Samaritan returned to give Jesus thanks.

Luke 17:12-18 – As [Jesus] was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" (NIV)

I have seen people who have been restored physically, whose prayers for healing have been answered perfectly, whose worries and anxieties, issues and illnesses have been positively dealt with by God and yet they remain thankless. Instead of returning to Christ and worshipping Him, they take their cure for granted and get on with their lives, focusing on themselves first and ignoring any notion of recognizing what God has mercifully done in them. It's sad to see and very disappointing, but Christ Jesus also experienced this many times throughout His life on earth.

Wherever we are and however we feel today, let's not forget what Christ has done in each of our lives. Let's be thankful that we exist even for another day and make time to be grateful to God for all that He has graciously — and perhaps even miraculously — done for us.

Point to ponder: How has God positively changed my life? How do I show Him my gratitude?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are many times that You have helped us throughout our lives. You have listened to our prayers and enabled us to overcome illnesses and issues that have seriously troubled us. May we never take Your compassion and grace for granted. May we also seek to worship and glorify You for the rest of our days. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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