We are coming down the homestretch on this series of 24 Advent devotionals on “Thanking Jesus.”
My husband and I have welcomed hundreds of people into our home. Some have come for a meal, others have stayed for months. We have noticed, however, that of all our guests, those who are most grateful are often foreign students.
Jesus was out walking with his disciples one day, headed toward Jerusalem. As they approached the northern border of Samaria, they met ten lepers. The lepers pleaded with Jesus to have mercy on them. Unlike other times when he healed people, Jesus did not touch the lepers or even command them to be healed. According to Luke 17:14, the Master simply directed them to go and see their priests.
As they hastened to obey, the ten men discovered they were healed. Only one of the ten, a Samaritan, turned around and returned to give thanks. He fell at Jesus’ feet and cried, “Praise God! I’m healed!”
Jesus responded, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?”
If a foreigner knows enough to give thanks to God, shouldn’t we who are God’s children do it even more naturally?
