The Power of Gratitude
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, as we begin our week and this journey of understanding gratitude, open our hearts to see the blessings You have placed in our lives. May Your Holy Spirit guide us to a deeper appreciation of Your goodness. Amen.
As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy 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.”
This passage recounts the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. As Jesus travels to Jerusalem, He encounters these men who are outcasts due to their disease. They cry out for mercy, and Jesus instructs them to show themselves to the priests. As they go, they are healed, but only one returns to thank Jesus.
REFLECT:
The story of the ten lepers is a powerful illustration of gratitude and faith. In the cultural context of Jesus' time, leprosy was a devastating condition that led to social isolation. The lepers' cry for mercy was not just a plea for physical healing but also for restoration to their community. Jesus' response is simple yet profound: He tells them to show themselves to the priests, a step required by the Mosaic Law for someone healed of leprosy to be declared clean. This act of obedience is a demonstration of their faith, as they begin their journey to the priests before seeing any evidence of healing.
The key moment in this story is the return of the one leper, a Samaritan, to thank Jesus. This man's gratitude sets him apart. While all ten were physically healed, only this one received the deeper blessing of spiritual wholeness. Jesus' question, "Where are the other nine?" highlights the importance of recognizing and expressing gratitude for God's work in our lives. This story challenges us to consider how often we take God's blessings for granted and fail to return to Him with thanks.
In our own lives, we may find ourselves like the nine who did not return, caught up in the excitement of our blessings and forgetting to acknowledge the source. Pastor Hutchison’s message reminds us that gratitude is not just a feeling but an action that can transform our hearts and minds. By practicing gratitude, we align ourselves with God's will and open ourselves to His peace and joy.
I WILL STATEMENT:
I will fuel my thanksgiving by finding things to be grateful for each day this week
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for the reminder of the power of gratitude. Help me to cultivate a heart that is always thankful, recognizing Your hand in every blessing. May my gratitude draw me closer to You and inspire others to see Your goodness. Amen.