Christmas Call!

Scripture

2 Thessalonians 3:13  But as for you brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.  

Observation

Don't lose heart or grow tired of doing things you know to do and have been trained and instructed to do.  Live a disciplined life, and work hard at what you've been called to do.  

Application

My instructions:  Appreciate those who labor among you, live in peace, exhort, encourage, and just help people.  Be patient with everyone.  Rejoice and be glad and very happy, pray, give thanks, and keep away from any appearance of evil.  

Prayer

May You O Lord direct my heart and direct my steps into the steadfastness - patient endurance of Jesus Christ; that You would give me what I need to learn to love others.  Teach me Lord I pray. . . and Father, thank You for the Christmas Call!  You knew how things have just been piling up these last few days and how discouraged & overwhelmed I've been feeling.  I know that You are with me, and now I've got a new perspective. Help me keep my thoughts upon You and keep pressing on to know You more and more!  In Jesus Name, A-men.

Give Thanks

 Luke 17: 11-19

While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.  As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.  Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine--where are they?  “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”  And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”

When I read this story, I think about the nine who didn’t come back to say thank you and give glory to God.  Jesus asked, ‘Where are they?’ 

I wonder if the nine, after showing themselves to the priest, returned to their loved ones, their homes, their jobs, their life before; now healed with fresh skin, no disease, no more humiliation.  They must have celebrated their new life . . . with family around the table, the smell of baking bread, hot stew, sitting in their easy chair.  Maybe one or two years have passed and they are thinking life is good.  

But then they remember back to days of rejection, lonliness, being called 'unclean', forsaken, leprous, with oozing sores and unfeeling limbs; separated from family and friends – outcasts.  

 "Mmmmmm", they may have wondered, “Did I ever say thank you to the One who healed me?  Did I stop and give glory to One who gave me new life?  Who was that man?  Ah yes, the Master, Jesus.”

I don’t think Jesus tells us this story to condemn the 9 or to even condemn us when we forget to say thank you, but only to remind us, ‘it’s never too late to say thank you.  It’s not too late to give glory to God for the great things He has done for you - and for me.' 

Give thanks to God.  Give glory to God. 

Thank You O Lord, I give You praise and glory for what You have done for me.  Thank You. Thank You for reminding me to say thanks.  A-men.