"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" - Psalm 118:1 (NIV).
It is difficult to imagine a language where the word “thank you” does not appear. In all human interactions there are inevitably those moments where one owes something to a certain person for doing one a favor. To imagine otherwise would be to say that everyone anywhere is self-sufficient.
Yet, in life, every now and then we are all humbled when we find someone who goes out of his way to help us through a certain fix. This might be by giving us passage where we are locked up, sharing confidence on our behalf where others are quick to abandon us, forgiving us of something we are burdened with and yet have no ability to meet the cost. It is only fitting then to say, “Thank you!”
As the scriptures note in the story of the ten lepers thanking does not always come easily. Out of the ten only “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” (Luke 17: 15-16). That lapse did not miss Jesus: “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” (vv 17-19).
Normally, we would say for someone who does not say “thank you” of being ungrateful. Or perhaps he is so self centered that he takes any favor as a right before he moves on to matters of more importance to him. The problem with this attitude is that it is a challenge to extend a favor to that person when he finds himself in need, again. If it is in your power you are most likely to help again the one who came back like the one leper and said- “Thank you!”
And just as is important in our human relations, so should be in our relationship with the Lord. And who would doubt that the list of the good things the Lord has done for us is ever endless beginning with the gift of life. As Psalm 107:1-3 says, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” Let us agree with 1 Chronicles 29:13 : "Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name."
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I rise up with thanksgiving, for you have been so good to me, and I stand up to praise your beautiful name, the name above of all name, that of our Lord Jesus Christ, this I pray in His holy name.
