“Thanks”. Sometimes, I look at texts like this coming from someone I have helped, and my thought is how I plan not to go above and beyond in helping them next time. Lol, maybe I’m just petty and entitled, but really, after thinking about how much time I have sacrificed and how much effort I have invested to help someone achieve their goals, just a word, “Thanks” seems rude and insufficient to me.
Hello 👋 again. Welcome to today’s episode of Hope Alive podcast and newsletter. Thank you so much for stopping by for the first time or coming again. Today, I will talk about thanksgiving as a form of humility.
Very often, we stick to God, remain humble and ask for things we need. But do we use the same commitment and passion to thank Him consciously? By the way, “thanks” is half-baked gratitude. That’s my thought, but it also depends on what has been done. If, as a human, I feel hurt or belittled when I think someone is not grateful enough, then what about the Almighty God? The closest story I could think of was that of the ten lepers, specifically the one of the ten that returned.
Luke 17:12
And as He was going into one village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance.
There are many things to learn from this story. Let’s go over them one at a time.
Luke 17:13-14
And they raised up their voices and called, Jesus, Master, take pity and have mercy on us! And when He saw them, He said to them, Go [at once] and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cured and made clean.
First, we see that Jesus didn’t heal them without being asked to. Rather, they saw Him and raised their voices, meaning of their own will, and shouted to God for healing. Sometimes, the excuse of ungrateful people will be that they didn’t ask you to do stuff for them, right? But that excuse is invalid here. Ten lepers consciously asked, not with a low voice but a loud voice, how some of us also cry to God. God is not a man to lie. He has promised that He will answer when we call (Matthew 7:7), so, yes, Jesus did answer these lepers. But what happened afterwards?
Luke 17:15-16
Then one of them, upon seeing that he was cured, turned back, recognizing and thanking and praising God with a loud voice; And he fell prostrate at Jesus' feet, thanking Him [over and over]. And he was a Samaritan.
These next verses show that returning to give thanks is mandatory—not just thanking God with the “thanks attitude.” I wanted to title today’s podcast “Intentional or Conscious Thanksgiving” because that is how we should act after receiving our answers.
That one leper was intentional about thanking Jesus (over and over) as much, if not more, than how intentional he was when asking to be healed. Sometimes, it is easy for us to tarry before God in prayers, but how often do we tarry with the same intensity to thank God after our prayers have been answered? Sometimes, we give the “thanks” vibe. The thanks vibe is when we don’t give adequate gratitude and are just nonchalant about thanking God.
After seeing our testimonies, do we recognize God and raise our voices to thank God the way we raised our voices while praying?
What is our attitude after God answers? What is the call to action here? The way you are intentional and not forgetful about asking God for things, practice that same attitude to thank Him after receiving your blessing. Don’t be forgetful or casual.
Luke 17:17-18
Then Jesus asked, Were not [all] ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was there no one found to return and to recognize and give thanks and praise to God except this alien?
Just because God is merciful and kind does not mean He is ignorant of our ingratitude.
The verses above show that Jesus was expecting these ten lepers to return to thank Him, but only one showed up. If you think God does not expect gratitude from us, then now you are aware.
Imagine God asking the angels, “Did you not send that blessing to him/her?” The angel replies, “Oh yes, I did.” The absence of gratitude could make God double-check if something hindered the prayer. If not, then it’s pure ingratitude. So remember that God expects thanksgiving from us.
Luke 17:19
And He said to him, Get up and go on your way. Your faith (your trust and confidence that spring from your belief in God) has restored you to health.
But I thought the lepers were healed? Why would Jesus say to that one leper that his health has been restored? Tell me about perfection and the multiplication of God’s blessings. We’re not told, but maybe the nine lepers that failed to return experienced a recurrence of leprosy.
Jeremiah 30:19 NKJV
Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
I’m ending it here. I know your prayers have been answered, but with intentional gratitude, you enjoy the preservation and multiplication of your blessings.
Now, will you thank God for His hand in your life? Count your blessings and be thankful.
P.S.-- Unless otherwise stated, All scriptures are from the Amplified Bible Classic version.
#keepinghopealive #hopealive #Christalive #Christinme #theleperwhoreturned #gbenrocomfort
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Counting My Blessings by Seph Schlueter
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