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This week in the U.S., we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It’s the one day set apart on our calendars to give thanks to God for the many blessings He has given to us. But as we busily prepare for a good meal, and/or time together with friends and/or family, are we truly stopping to give thanks? Have we become so distracted by all that is going on around us, and so consumed with what is taking place in our lives, that we now fail to turn to the One to whom all thanksgiving is due?

Allow me to hastily acknowledge that our thanksgiving to God should never be limited to one day on our calendar, it should be a daily acknowledgement of Him and to Him. But is it? Do we truly stop to give Him thanks? i wonder if i have stopped short of being thankful. i’m grateful for what i have – family, friends, health, strength, possessions and provision (no matter how much or little it might be), and so forth. But am i truly thankful to the One who has provided it all? Or, have i settled for being grateful instead of being thankful?

i believe there is a distinction between gratitude and thanksgiving. Please allow me to explain. Luke records a day of thanksgiving that occurred approximately 2,000 years ago. He writes:

As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, He reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As He entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him for what He had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”(1)

Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead. He was continuing on toward Jerusalem and the impending cross. But like many of Jesus’s journeys, His path was not dictated by what made the most sense geographically. His path was set by the Father, and the encounters He chose for Jesus to have. On this particular day, the Father chose for Jesus to encounter ten men.

This was a diverse group of men. At least one was a Samaritan and certainly some of the others were Galileans. It’s probable there was even a Judean in their midst. They were a group of men from different cultures, different beliefs, and different races. In normal circumstances, they would probably have never come together. But they had become united by an affliction. They were ostracized from the rest of civilization by their leprosy – and united in the fact that they would live out whatever remained of their lives in this debilitating state.

Then one day – along came Jesus! He had become well known across the region. Word of His miracles had spread like wildfire. These men knew that if they had any chance of escaping their leprous fate – Jesus was it. So, they cried out to Him – and Jesus showed mercy upon them.

Suddenly these men who had been united by their disease were now united in their faith. They so trusted Jesus that when He told them to go and show themselves to the priests, they stepped out even though they had not yet been healed. Their healing didn’t occur until they had begun their journey. They stepped out by faith – believing that what Jesus had promised would come to pass. These truly were men of faith – and their faith was rewarded, in that each and every one of them was physically healed. These men who had been united in disease and united in faith had now become united in their healing.

How many were grateful for their healing? Each and every one of them experienced the feeling of gratitude! They were no longer destined to a life of misery and agony. They were no longer to be separated from family and friends. They were no longer subject to living a life of despair. They had been set free! And each and every one of them was ecstatic and grateful!

But here is where their paths diverged. For nine of the men, their path of gratitude led to celebration and restoration with family and friends once they had been declared clean by the priests. They pressed forward to the better days that were ahead and never gave another thought to the One who had made them whole. Only the Samaritan returned with a heart overflowing to express thanksgiving and worship to the One who had transformed his life. Only the Samaritan returned to give glory to God. Only the Samaritan demonstrated a heart of complete surrender and thanksgiving. And, as a result, only the Samaritan experienced the cleansing of his sin and continued his journey in an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Ten lepers leapt, but only one gave thanks.

Ten lepers were healed, but only one was cleansed.

Ten lepers encountered Jesus, but only one followed Him.

You see, gratitude is a feeling, but thanksgiving is an action. As we approach Thanksgiving Day, are we like the nine – content to be grateful for our blessings – or are we like the one – worshipping the One who is due all worship – surrendered to Him with a heart overflowing with perpetual thanksgiving? How often do we bombard heaven with our petitions, but fail to express thanks for the answers we’ve received? Let’s not forget to give glory and thanksgiving to the One to whom it is due! As we walk with the Master, let’s be sure to be like the one.

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Portions of this post are taken from Walking With The Master, chapter 58, entitled “Ten Lepers Leapt” This fourth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on this book.

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(1)  Luke 17:11-19 (NLT)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

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