Gratitude means thankfulness, or to have a kindly feelings for favors
received. Our hearts should be filled with gratitude for the many
blessings that God daily bestows upon us here in this time world. How we
do need to give heed to David's exhortation in Psalm 107:15, "O that
men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to
the children of men." Everywhere we look we see the handiwork of
almighty God. The beautiful flowers, the graceful trees of the forest, the
happy carefree birds, flitting from tree to tree and singing their praises
to God for His goodness unto them, the mountains and valleys, hills and
dales; all these things God created for His pleasure and our enjoyment.
We, too, were created for His pleasure, but the only way He can get any
pleasure out of us is that we live for Him and praise Him for His
wonderful goodness unto us.
The Bible tells us that David was a
man after God's own heart and his heart was full of praise to god as we
read in Psa 34:1, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise
shall continually be in my mouth." If we really and truly love the
Lord with all our heart, mind, souls and strength, can we praise Him too
much for His goodness unto us in redeeming us from life of sin and setting
our feet upon the solid rock, Christ Jesus? Let us be more thankful to Him
and strive to live up to the exhortation given in Heb 13:15, "By Him
therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that
is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." Up in heaven
praise is continually going up to Him that sitteth on the throne. We are
merely sojourners here on the earth preparing ourselves for heaven, so let
us be more profuse in our praise to God. This makes God happy and it will
makes us happy too, if it comes right from the heart and is not put on.
The close we get to God the more we are going to appreciate His goodness
unto us and the more praise to His dear name will well up in our hearts
and overflow to the point where we will give audible expression to it.
Praise God forever and ever.!
The Lepers Seek The Healing Touch
Luke 17:11---He passes through the
midst of Samaria and Galilee---It is likely that Jesus set out from
Capernaum through Galilee first, and then through Samaria because it was
next to Judea. No doubt, He preached and taught as He went, healing those
that were diseased.
Verse 12---There met him…ten
lepers---These lepers were standing off by themselves for it was against
the law to mingle with others for fear of giving them disease. This was a
very much dreaded ailment for which there was no cure. But the leprosy of
sin is much worse disease for it not only separates its victims from the
fellowship of God's people, but also separates them from God and to be
forever separated from God is, by far the worst calamity that can possibly
happen to any one. But we are glad to be able to point you to one who can
heal this loathesome disease and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. His shed
blood can cleanse you from every stain of sin and send you on your way
rejoicing.
Verse 13---They lifted up their
voices---That is, they cried aloud in unison, as it were. They were in
earnest for they had a great need from which man was unable to deliver
them. If we could only get sinners to have much concern for their sin-sick
soul as they have for some dreaded disease there would be many more people
get saved and live or the Lord.
Jesus Heals The Lepers
Luke 17:14---Go show yourselves unto
the priest---Jesus did not heal them right there on the spot, neither did
He tell them they were healed. He wanted to test their faith by telling
them to go show themselves to the priest. It took faith for them to do
this for as long as they had the leprosy it would not do any good to go to
the priest. As they went their way they were healed for Jesus honored
their faith. Just that same way will He honor our faith today.
Verse 15---And with a loud voice
glorified God---Apparently this man turned back to thank Jesus for healing
him before he went to the priest. How grateful we should be for the
healing touch. Many people that have really been healed have lost it
because they failed to give God the praise and glory for it.
Verse 16---And fell down on his
face---He really humbled his heart and worshipped Jesus to show his
gratitude for what Jesus had done for him. He evidently had his sins
forgiven too, for it says that he glorified God.
The Ingratitude of the Nine
Luke 17:17---But where are the
nine---It hardly seems possible that anyone could be so ungrateful as to
fail to return to thank Jesus for His compassion for them and making them
every whit whole. But we could ask that same question today. Right here in
our congregation many people get saved, but so few of them are willing to
pay the cost and go through for God. Some start out do happily and enjoy
their new found salvation but they fail to read the Bible and read and
pray and soon lose the grace of God out of their hearts.
Verse 18---Save this stranger---He
was a Samaritan and perhaps an idol worshipper and you would think that he
would have been the last one to come back and worship Jesus, but the Word
says that those that are forgiven much will love much.
Verse 19---Thy faith hath made thee
whole---He had manifested his faith in Jesus by obeying Jesus' command to
go to the priest. Without faith we cannot please God for he that cometh to
God must believe that He is and the He is a rewarder of all those that
diligently seek Him. We do have to really get in earnest and seek Him
diligently if we expect to get our prayers answered.
If we could but get people to
realize their absolute dependence on God, more of them would thank Him for
their daily blessings received at His hands. It is God that maketh the sun
to shine and it is God that sends the refreshing showers, causing the
things we need for food to grow. Jesus said in Matt 5:45, "For he
(God) maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain
on the just and the unjust." Now, how long could we continue to live
here on the earth if God stopped causing the sun to rise? Or if He should
withold the rain? It would only be a short time until all would perish.
Surely, God doth daily load us with benefits whereof we should be glad,
and we should show our appreciation by giving Him thanks in abundance.
That is the only way we can repay Him.