The Gift We Give to God
Roy Lessin
Then
one of them, upon seeing that he was cured, turned back, recognizing and
thanking and praising God with a loud voice. Luke 17:15 AMPC
The
Bible tells us that one day Jesus’ heart of compassion responded to the
desperate cries of ten lepers. They were outcasts without hope, without
friends, separated from society and human contact. Some people ignored them,
some pitied them, some despised them, some wept for them, but none could change
them. Jesus was their only hope. “Have mercy on us,” was their collective cry.
Jesus
responded to them with a word. Not a word of sympathy or pity, but a word of
power. It hit them like a thunderbolt. “Go show yourself to the priest.” What a
statement! According to the law, you went to see the priest to verify your
healing. And as they went, in obedience to His word, they were healed—all ten!
To
be instantly healed from leprosy was amazing. It meant everything—a place in
society, a job, hugs and human affection, belonging, acceptance, purpose,
value. But what is even more amazing is that only one out of the ten was
grateful enough to return and to pour out his thanks to Jesus.
In
Timothy we read, “In the last days…people will be…ungrateful.” We live in an
ungrateful world. To listen to most, you would think that either God didn’t
exist, or if He did, that He was indifferent, unkind, and uncaring.
God’s
generosity to us in Jesus Christ is overwhelming—God gives us a clean heart, a
joyful heart, a loving heart, a peaceful heart—yet, there is one thing God
cannot give us, and that is a thankful heart. Thankfulness is our gift to Him.
©2016 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow, Marina Bromley, Marina's Kitchen Table. Reprint permissions should be sent to meadowrequests@gmail.com This post originally appeared in 11/2008
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~marina