Listening to the Holy Spirit:
Gratitude mounts upon need. The heart that knows no need, knows little of thanksgiving. He who knows no thanksgiving, even though rich, dies of want. Sin drives deep a vast debt, unpaid in many works, for even these lack for purity. Darkness cannot abide with light, nor the sinner with the Father. Through My coming there is now passage. If in great need they come, they, like you, shall be filled. I AM that they might be forgiven, that the Lamb would lie down in death for those whose hope is in Him. As from eternity to eternity, the Perfect is bled that the imperfect may live. It is for this that I have come, to seek and save those lost in affliction, dead in sin, hopeless in want. May the Father draw them, that gratitude may be grasped as their great need be shown. Suffer do they in wealth and want, but there is hope with their repeal, and in My love shall be their cleansing, and their grateful soul will rise in My grace.
John 1:14-16 (ESV) – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
1 Cor 1:4 (ESV) – I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,
Luke 17:15-16 (ESV) – 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.
Taking It to Work:
When ten lepers were healed, only one returned to praise God. They all called out to Jesus as “master”, before they were healed, but once the need was no longer there, Jesus asked, “Where are the other nine?” It’s also interesting that the only one that did return was a Samaritan, a despised outsider to the Jews, thought to have no favor with God, and yet, was the only one that Jesus was pleased with, because he showed a thankful heart for the gift of life he had recieved.
We have recieved that same gift of life. Lepers before, now cleansed, healed for all eternity.
It’s getting very close to Christmas, and our minds are turning from work to the busyness of the holiday season. We are reminded today of the real reason for Christ’s coming – to heal us who needed it so badly. As the celebrated day of His birth approaches, let’s prepare our hearts to be extra grateful for His coming, as we remember where we would be if He would not have been born, if He would not have come to save us.
We call out to Him as Master just like in Luke 17. He heard our cry and He healed us, just as He healed the lepers. Let’s make sure we are like the Samaritan. Prepare a gift for Him this Christmas. One that will make Him smile – your grateful heart, as His Word works in you, today.
