"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever"  (Psalm 118:1).

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 trust 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 naturally for all. 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 find someone who does not say “thank you” as 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, next time. 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 “thank you” define our relationship with the Lord. 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.” 

Prayer 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!