"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.
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 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, 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. 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
Related upcoming events
-
17/05/2024 - 18/05/2024 All day“And I in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15)
One of the defining aspects we see in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He began the day with prayer. “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). As he was always surrounded by crowds and after such a busy day before of preaching and engaging the Pharisees in debates this must have been a therapeutic moment for Christ when he would have some good time to himself.
But there was also more. For Jesus being away in a secluded place would also mean a chance to pour out His heart to God, meditate in quietness, plan for the day ahead and listen to the Father. Jesus must have looked up to this moment every day knowing its benefits. Conversations with His Father must have been real and intimate, bringing a certain soothing and uplifting of His spirit. You do not wake up and stick to something on a daily basis that is a drag – this must have been his best time of the day!
Martin Luther the leader of the protestant reformation is reputed to once have said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Here is the point. In the olden days before the arrival of locomotive transport those who were setting out for a long journey on foot had to start early with the first cock crow before the punishing sun came out. One of the things they had to start with also was a good meal, which was fuel needed to give them energy through the long walk to their destiny.
There are no rules about waking up to pray as first thing- or even saying prayer at a defined hour of the day. God is everywhere and ever with us. He is accessible at any time of the day. But there is something special about prioritizing our lives that the first thing we do is to talk to God. Just like the early traveller we need fuel, for the long day ahead!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and privilege to make time at the start of any day, talk and hear from you, for the power I need through the day, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
