Gratitude Leads To Encouragement

My good friends Stephen and Brooksyne Weber posted the following words of encouragement on their Daily Encouragement Net site. On the eve of the American Thanksgiving they are encouraging us to be grateful. Let me pass along their thoughts:

"Where Are The Other Nine?"

Jesus often asked questions to get his hearers to think, although He obviously knew the answer. In today's text (Luke 17:11-19) He had healed ten lepers but only one returned to say, "Thank you". I've wondered what excuses the other nine might have had in failing to return to give Jesus thanks. I came up with nine possible excuses they might have used. Notice they are all pertinent to today!

Perhaps:

1) One was too busy. (Self-importance)
2) One forgot. (Ingratitude)
3) One was planning to do it later. (Procrastination) 4) One thought somebody else would do it. God does not accept vicarious praise. "Let everything that hath breath…" (Lazy)
5) One wanted to see if the healing would last. (Skeptical)
6) One had a religious prejudice. (Superiority)
7) One thought it really didn't matter. (Thoughtless)
8) One thought "I still have a lot of other problems." Like many he saw the glass half empty. Indeed on this side whatever God may do for us we very likely have or will have other problems. (Negative)
9) One thought "I don't want to bother Him." Scripture is abundant in calls to thank, praise and glorify God. We never bother Him in calls to be obedient! (Inferiority)

(As we prepared this message we considered if it was anything like today an additional excuse could be: One leper thought, "I had to get over to the blue light special at the Jerusalem Mall before the sale was over.")

Three great truths can be derived from this message:

1) Thankfulness matters to God. It brings glory to God.
2) Thankfulness is an act of the will. He chose to return.
3) Thankfulness is an excellent testimony. He goes down in history as the one who returned to give thanks.

Will we be like the one who returned to give "Thanks"?

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber