The Forgotten Song of Praise

Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 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. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? "Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" LUKE 17:12-17 Ten men came to Jesus; each were equally in need, ten asked to be healed, Jesus performed the same miracle for each one of the ten and ONLY ONE came back to say, “Thank you!” That is the nature of ministry. How often have you been discouraged by the thanklessness of people you have reached out to help? How many times have you wanted to turn your back on anyone else due to the rotten attitude of most? Men were no different when Jesus walked the earth; they came needy and asking and receiving, but having received they quickly moved on and quickly forgot to give God praise. So many times I have seen good men and women of God pour their very lives into people who not only walked away, but forgot them or even turn on them, as well. So many times the children of Pastors have been pushed aside as their father do their best to carry for others, who then walk away ungrateful. Those who have received never consider the cost, not only to the Man of God, but to his family as well. His family has lost hours with their father that he will never be able to give back to them in order to care for others who in turn, never even say, “Thank you!” Even more interesting is the fact that the man who did return to say “Thank You!” was the unbeliever. While Christ healed believers and unbelievers alike, it was only one of the unbelievers who returned to praise God, why? It is the man who KNOWS that no goodness resides in him that appreciates the vastness of the goodness of God when he experiences it. It is the broken man, the fallen man, the sin-stained man, the humble man who understands that he does not deserve to have his negligent ways rewarded by God’s direct attention; “I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT KNOW I’M FOUND – WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE!” It is often we; who claim to love God, walk with God, trust in God who come to believe somehow because of our belief in Him that He OUGHT to reward us; God help us. Please understand; God does NOT love you because you are good and He does NOT hate you because you are bad, neither do you go to Heaven because you ARE good and to Hell because you are bad; you are rewarded, you experience God’s goodness because HE IS GOD and HE IS GOOD. Let us each one Thank God for His Unmerited Favor. Amen!