The story of the ten lepers reminds me of a class in one of my first years of teaching. It was the last day of school before Christmas and I had brought in pizza for my class. The excitement of the day carried the class off toward their Christmas vacation. As I was heading across the parking lot, one of my students came running up and thanked me for the pizza.
We are so blessed. Growing up, many of my elders were quick; it seems, to regularly point out to me how much better I had it than they did growing up in the Depression. While their attempts were to get me to appreciate my blessings and be thankful for them, I have to say I missed the point more often than not.
We’re quick to turn to the Lord seeking His intervention when we struggle, do we return to Him in thanks when those prayers are answered? Too often, it seems, we get so wrapped up in the “brighter day” we fail to return to the Lord in thanksgiving.
In counting our blessings, how often do we find ourselves with the nine who were cleansed and did nothing? I pray that we, as the Samaritan, return to the Lord thankful for all His bountiful care.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we, Your unworthy servants, give You most humble and hearty thanks for all Your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all mankind. We praise You for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life, but above all for Your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. We implore You to give us that due sense of all Your mercies that our hearts may every be deeply thankful and that we may show forth Your praise with both our lips and lives. Let us walk before You in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life and enjoy the testimony of a good conscience and the hope of Your favour, be sustained and comforted in every time of trouble, and finally be received into Your everlasting kingdom; through Your infinite mercy in Jesus Chris, our Lord.
We are so blessed. Growing up, many of my elders were quick; it seems, to regularly point out to me how much better I had it than they did growing up in the Depression. While their attempts were to get me to appreciate my blessings and be thankful for them, I have to say I missed the point more often than not.
We’re quick to turn to the Lord seeking His intervention when we struggle, do we return to Him in thanks when those prayers are answered? Too often, it seems, we get so wrapped up in the “brighter day” we fail to return to the Lord in thanksgiving.
In counting our blessings, how often do we find ourselves with the nine who were cleansed and did nothing? I pray that we, as the Samaritan, return to the Lord thankful for all His bountiful care.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we, Your unworthy servants, give You most humble and hearty thanks for all Your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all mankind. We praise You for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life, but above all for Your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. We implore You to give us that due sense of all Your mercies that our hearts may every be deeply thankful and that we may show forth Your praise with both our lips and lives. Let us walk before You in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life and enjoy the testimony of a good conscience and the hope of Your favour, be sustained and comforted in every time of trouble, and finally be received into Your everlasting kingdom; through Your infinite mercy in Jesus Chris, our Lord.
-Marvin Drier
Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.
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