Many years back there was this group of friends who had a very sad problem. They were lepers. Now being a leper during those days meant they were treated as outcasts. They had to live outside the city where no one ever went. They had to stay away from their family. No matter how much they loved their Dad or Mom or husband or wife or kids, they were forced to leave them all and live away from them. It was not just about living away from them but they could never meet them or hug them or talk to them. They were not just physical outcasts but mental outcasts as well. These 10 people who lived their whole day talking about the sweet memories at home, the good social status they once held, how life had now become hopeless, just sat and talked and poured their hearts to each other and eventually these people who came from different homes, different backgrounds and different places had become friends - united in their grief.
In their hopeless world, comes hope, one beautiful day, in the form of a man named Jesus. They manage to sneak into the city and meet Jesus and ask to be healed. Jesus, full of compassion and love, heals these 10 men and sets them free. Free - to live with love, dignity and honour.
As these men go rejoicing, excited at the fact that their skin and their body has now been made new. Rejoicing that they can dream again, they can plan for their future again, they can live again and yes, the hopeless world they lived in has been destroyed and Hope is finally born. They go dancing and singing, mind still too full to take it all, happiness too hard to contain. In the midst of it all, one man suddenly stops...... and turns. He remembers........
He remembers the man who set him free. He remembers the man who gave him life. He remembers the Man who is Hope personified. He turns and goes to Jesus. He walks up to the man who healed him and says - Jesus, Thank You.
Jesus looks up very pleased that this man remembered to come back and say - Thank You. And then Jesus asks this man - "Were not the other nine healed as well?? Why didn't they come to say - Thank You? " (For the Story)
Jesus expected a Thank You. He is God, of course but it means so much to Him when we can look up from our work and tell Him - Jesus, Thank You.
A few days back, there was something worrying me and as I was travelling from my office back home, I began to ponder over the issue and get more and more worried. And guess the devil started giving me more and more points to worry over and I was becoming an easy prey and was just sitting there getting more and more worried and that was followed by self pity, anger, finding someone to blame..... This went on till God decided this was going too far. And he reminded me of all that I had been blessed with and if I could focus on what I have blessed with and thank Him, rather than focus on problems and get worried. I realised the devil was having his way and I began focussing on all the blessings that I have and began thanking God for them - great parents, wonderful siblings, good job..... and so on. I kept thanking him all the way to home and believe me, when I reached home I was feeling so happy and was feeling great.
God spoke to me through a verse in His word which says - He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him [a] the salvation of God.
This is a verse I have read so many times but I never realised its full meaning till some time back. When I keep thanking God and offer thank offerings to God, I honour Him and I prepare the way for God to show his salvation (deliverance in my life). I need to learn to be thankful at all times. As we thank Him we open the way for God to work in our lives. As we thank Him we open the way for God to solve our problems. As we thank Him we make the way for God to turn every curse into blessing. As we thank Him we make the way for God's deliverance, God's peace, God's joy, God's blessings, God's prosperity, God's salvation - in our lives.
Jesus had to die such a painful, shameful and sinful death on the cross for your freedom and mine. When was the last time you thanked Him for dying in your place? Even if we used our every breath to thank Him we could never thank Him enough.
God loves it when His children acknowledge His goodness and Thank Him. It means a lot to Jesus when His children are grateful. When we keep thanking Him we make Jesus happy. And as we keep thanking Him, we also prepare the way for God's salvation in our lives.
It would be so selfish to receive the benefits and just walk away. God's children have His nature. And that would mean being grateful and saying Thank You. By saying Thank You I show that I'm a child of God. It means so much To Him when we look up to Him and say - Thank You, Jesus.
Psalm 50:23 - He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him [a] the salvation of God." (NIV)
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