Gratitude

"And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God" (LUKE 17:15).

After one of the terrible battles of the American Civil War, a dying Confederate soldier asked to see the Chaplain. When the Chaplain arrived, he supposed the young man would wish him to ask God for his recovery, but it was very different. The soldier asked him to cut off a lock of his hair for his mother, and kneel down and thank God. "What for?" asked the surprised Chaplain. The soldier said: "For giving me such a mother. Thank God that I am a Christian. And thank God for giving me grace to die with. And thank God for the home He has promised me over there". So, the Chaplain knelt down with the injured soldier and prayed with no petition to offer, only praise and gratitude.

We should not take for granted the many benefits we receive from the Lord. Ten lepers were miraculously healed in our text. Nine of them walked away; perhaps, on the assumption that it was Christ's duty to heal them. But one of them, who happened to be a Samaritan, came and glorified God for his cleansing. Christ then remarked that it was only a stranger that thought it necessary to give thanks for what the Lord has done for him. Cleansing of lepers, opening of blind eyes, raising the dead, etc., were part of the expected signs and confirmation of the coming Messiah.

The nation, Israel, had been in expectation for years before Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. Since then, many taken with diverse diseases and torments by evil spirits were healed and delivered. Let us find the time to return praises to God. The forgiveness of our sins and the hope of eternal life should top the list of matters for our gratitude.

We may not always win all the battles in life, but like the dying soldier above, let us always remember what God has given us already and thank Him for them.

#steemit #heartchurch #sammiejosh