Nothing to Give Thanks

by Dr. Jeff Lee

    "What did you forget to say?" I called out.

    "Oh, thank you!"

    It sounded all too robotic. Do parents have the right to demand a thank you from their children?

    Why is it so hard to say "thank you"?

"I forgot." -- I am thankful but I don't say it often enough.

"Why?" -- I did it all my way.

"What do I have to give thanks for?" -- I have less than everyone else; nothing is going right. I cannot think of anything to be thankful for!

    On one occasion, Jesus healed ten lepers: One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him -- and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "'Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?' Then he said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'" (Luke 17:15-19 NIV)

    Nine did not come back to say thank you to Jesus. What possible reasons were there? Did they forget? Did they think they deserved to be healed? Or was there nothing to be thankful for?

    Would I be the grateful person who returned to say thank you?

    Do I have a habit of regularly expressing my appreciation to people?

    Am I especially open with my thanksgiving to God?

    Or, am I a child that needs to be reminded to say, "Thank you!"?

Posted: 11/26/2002
URL: http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200211/20021126_thanks.html

(c) 2002 Dr. Jeff Lee <idevote@ccim.org>. Used by permission. Please visit Idevote for more devotionals: <http://www.idevote.org>

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