As Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem and ultimately the Cross, He happened upon a grim scene.  It was a group of men...10 to be exact.  Their skin was sickly and their appendages were withering, each the victim of leprosy.  Once they saw Christ they did the only thing they could do...they cried out, "Master, have pity on us!"

When was the last time you cried out something to that effect?  Was it as the doctor delivered that dreadful news?  Perhaps for you it happened as you stood by watching yet another relationship begin to unravel.  You see that's what we do in such times. It doesn't matter whether our skin is covered with decay or the bank account is sitting on empty...when helplessness consumes us, we cry out, "Lord, have pity on us!"

Now that you've thought of a time when you made such a plea, may I ask you a question...what happened?  Looking back did God have pity on you?  Did He move in your life or in the life of the one you were concerned about?  Was it subtle or earthshaking?

If my experience has taught me anything, it's that God not only hears our pleas for help...He actually helps...He works in our lives much like Christ did for those 10 men.  You see Jesus did have pity on them.  "Go show yourself to the priests," He said.  As the men were on their way, they were healed.

Could you imagine such freedom?  What would you do to make up for the things you'd missed out on?  Well 9 of the men had that list on-hand and they wasted no time in getting to it.  But there was one who had a different task on his agenda...a thank you.  That's right, after enduring years of misery, pain, and separation from family...and he's concerned about a simple thank you?  Yes, he was and he went back to Jesus to deliver it.

Our thankfulness (of lack thereof) reveals our heart.  It reveals whether or not we love Christ or just want something He can offer us.  And yes, there is a BIG difference between the two!  All 10 men received physical healing, but only the one who returned received the spiritual healing...and he walked away a new creation. 

As Thanksgiving is often a day filled with our own agendas such as cooking and eating a big meal, football and Tryptophan-induced comas, will you add one more?  Will you stop to say thank you?  As you sit around a table with family and friends, will you stop to thank the God that made all of these blessings a reality?  I hope you will.

In His Love, Rev. Brady Johnston