I love to read about all the wonderful things that Jesus did while on this earth. It is so amazing to me that some people didn't even say 'thank you'. Did you ever stop and think how important those two little words are. When I was about thirteen years old on my birthday a lady at the church handed me a birthday card with a really pretty handkerchief in it. I was so timid and afraid that I just stood there not saying a word and my mother spoke up and said, 'what do you say to her?' and I said 'thank you'. But that's not the end of the story, I was so humiliated because it was done in front of people, that I went home and cried and cried over my humiliation, not realizing that I was learning a powerful lesson. The lesson sunk so deep into my heart that I have actually said 'thank you' when there was nothing to thank anyone for. To this day I say 'thank you' for everything and if I forget, which is very rare I always come back to the incident and say 'thank you'.
There were ten lepers who decided that there only hope was if they could see Jesus and He would heal them. Lepers where not allowed to get near anyone, but these men were so intent on being healed from their disease that they didn't pay much attention to the rules this particular day. They finally found Him and just plowed right through the crowd with everyone falling back so as not to get touched by them and asked Jesus for healing and he told them to, 'go show yourselves to the priests and as they went they were cleansed. Now there were ten of them but as they went their way, one of them as he saw that he had been healed, returned to thank Jesus for the healing, but the other nine went on their way. Luke 17:11.
What a great lesson for us who have not been taught to say 'thank you'. Just recently I think I told you about my terrible fall on the concrete in the back yard. Well, I have recovered completely from the bruises and sore muscles, but the fact that I didn't break any bones was so miraculous that I really haven't gotten over it yet. And every time it comes to mind, I am still thanking God for just bruises and sore muscles and no broken bones. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone recovering from osteoporosis but all evidence shows that I have or am at the present time. I am extremely thankful.
Jesus is still in the business of healing, but are we in the business of saying, 'thank you', for the blessings we receive from Him? There are conditions for the promises that He has made to us and I think the greatest condition and maybe the only one, (I am not sure about that) but to me the most important condition for healing is the cleansing of my heart from all sin. It's not hard to come to this point in life if you are dwelling in His presence and reading His word and taking it to heart. He is faithful to let us know and to bring to our minds the things that are not right within our hearts, that no one else knows about but me and of course He knows. Tomorrow I will tell you a little story of mine about forgiveness and healing and hope that it will help you understand the importance of a clean heart. In the mean time, don't forget to say 'thank you' like the one leper who returned to say 'thank you'. The other nine went their way, and they were healed too. What ingratitude, you say, yes, it was an ungrateful attitude, but let's make sure that our attitude is one of gratefulness and thanksgiving and we will be a much happier Christian when our hearts are full of gratitude. Grandma Joan
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