Today's readings: Esther 1-2; Psalm 150; Luke 17
Thank You
Scripture
"As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached teh border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!'
"He looked at them and said, 'Go show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, their leprosy disappeared.
"One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus shouting, 'Praise God, I'm healed!' He fell face down on the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
"Jesus asked, 'Didn't I heal ten men?Where are the other nine? Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?' And Jesus said to the man, 'Stand up and go. Your faith has made you well.'"
Luke 17.11-19
Observation
We should praise God for all He does for us!
Application (How will I be different today because of what I have just read?)
The reading today reminds me that I don't always say "Thank you!" to God for all that He does for me--the big and the small. I take the attitude that I deserve all the blessings He pours out on me. I take them for granted. I do not live a life of praise . . . of worship. If I truly appreciated all that God does for me--and recognized that it all comes from Him--I would be on my face all of the time worshiping the King of kings, the Lord of lords.
That is where I should be anyway--because of the gift of grace and life that He has given to me. It is enough that He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for my sins. If He did nothing else for me--that should be enough to cause me to continually thank Him, praise Him, worship Him, to continually be on my face before Him.
Instead, I ask for more . . . . not acknowledging all He does for me already. And if He doesn't do it my way, or if I am required to make a sacrifice, or doesn't give me all I think I deserve--I get upset with Him . . . . dare I say, even angry. I question, "Where are You?" "Don't You care?" I sound like a spoiled self-centered child. Ouch!
So, how will I be different today? First step needs to be to start where I am. To say thank You. To give Him praise continually. To remember who He is . . . and all that He has done for me . . . in spite of my behavior. I need to intentionally be focused on Him . . . . not me, not my circumstances, not what is going on around me. . . . only on Him--the One who redeemed me, the One who saved me, the One who is faithful, the One who loves me unconditionally.
Prayer
Father God, Thank YOU!!
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his heavenly dwelling;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
Praise him with a blast of the trumpet;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with stringed
instruments and flutes!
Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord!
PRAISE THE LORD!
Amen! and Amen!
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