ESOCS Devotional 5 November 2024 – Attitude of Gratitude
MEMORY VERSE: “And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks and he was a Samaritan.” Luke 17:16
TEXT: LUKE 17:11-19
Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
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Thanksgiving is not accidental but attitudinal. Until you possess the attitude of gratitude, it will be practically impossible for you to exist in thankfulness. Where it is not attitudinal, the fellow will be compelled to give thanks. And any appreciation flowing out of compulsion does not emanate from the heart.
Ten (10) leprous men cried out to Jesus for mercy and in His compassion, Jesus gave a word that facilitated their healing. On the confirmation of their healing, nine (9) went their way and only one came back to Jesus with a loud voice giving glory to God. Interestingly, Jesus calls him a stranger.
What was it that happened to the rest nine (9) persons? How could they have taken for granted such a notable miracle? Is it possible to forget so soon the healing that just took place? Or was it because the process for the healing was so simplified by Jesus that they didn’t need to go through any stress? May be as citizens, they felt it was their rights to be healed? Or where they expecting more from Jesus? Or that the Priest didn’t attend to them well? Or is it possible that they were not healed! Many questions are indeed begging for an answer.
In our local parlance, it is said that you don’t learn how to use left hand in old age. These men lacked the character of gratitude. Showing appreciation was a major character defect for them. Hard as it may sound, that it is the state of many persons living in the world today including Christian folks. We exist without any atom of appreciation to the One who facilitates our existence and living. By our character, we have made thanksgiving a scarce commodity, even in God’s Kingdom.
Kindly know that it takes the daily attitude of gratitude to attain your altitude in life. The Samaritan got extra wholeness package after his thanksgiving to God. Make gratitude to God your lifestyle today and always.
- Cultivate the attitude of thanksgiving always.
- Never allow the unthankful attitude of others to corrupt your grateful heart.
- Your thanksgiving is to God and not man, watch it.
- Lord, we are grateful for the wonders in our lives, forgive our actions of ingratitude and grant us the grace to possess the right attitude of appreciation, in Jesus name. Amen
Further Reading: Proverbs 12:1-22; Matthew 7:1-14
ESOCS Devotional 5 November 2024
