[Tuesday's Devotional] - A call to Thanks

The New Testament is full of miraculous healings, whenever Jesus saw someone in need of healing, he would take the opportunity to heal.  In one instance he healed 10 lepers:

As he was going into a village, ten men with leprosy came toward him. They stood at a distance and shouted, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"

Jesus looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests."

On their way they were healed.  When one of them discovered that he was healed, he came back, shouting praises to God.  He bowed down at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was from the country of Samaria.

Jesus asked, "Weren't ten men healed? Where are the other nine?  Why was this foreigner the only one who came back to thank God?"  Then Jesus told the man, "You may get up and go. Your faith has made you well." Luke 17:12-18 [CEV]

There are dozens of small things every day for which we can thank people.  Sometimes people are only doing their duty or their job – but we can still say thank you if they have helped us.  And when we are healed, forgiven, blessed – these are opportunities to thank God.

Call to Action: THANK

Today, take an opportunity to thank someone for something they have done which had an impact on you.  Say thank you by text message, e-mail or phone call – or better still, look someone in the eye and take a few moments to offer a heart-felt "thank you".  The result will be a blessing for you and that person – and perhaps an opportunity to turn someone's mouth upwards in a smile.  

PRAY

Lord, I thank you for everything you have done for me.  Make me joyful and thankful amongst the busyness and rush of my day.  Thank you Jesus, for dying for me, for paying the price of all my sin.  Thank you for standing in my place.  Amen

Dave MacLellan