October 11
Luke 17.11-19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
People have a greater tendency to come to God in prayers when they have their struggles. Here we see ten men cry out for healing. They are suffering with leprosy. They want to be healed and restored. They are loud and eager to be heard when it is time to state their needs.
The question Jesus asks about only one coming back to offer gratitude should concern us. Not for the nine in the story, but the many of us who struggle to offer gratitude on a regular basis. Do we come with the same volume and the same intensity when we want to offer gratitude?
Simple statements of thanks when we receive our meals each day. Gratitude that God has seen fit to give us food. We have homes in which to live. Families to share life with us. Communities which are quite safe, particularly as we see the threats of war in so many other places in the world.
God has been good to us in so many ways. We live in the season of harvest. We have either celebrated Thanksgiving or are waiting for the unnaturally late one in November. We are a people who see the presence of God, and the actions of God, in life each day. Take notice and offer thanks to God.
Song – Goodness of God
Prayer
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season, and for the labours of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, in the provisions for our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your name, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.