Give Thanks Loudly
“As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’
When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.”
Luke 17:12-16
To me, it’s interesting that when the lepers saw Jesus, they “called out in a loud voice.” They didn’t approach Jesus asking for help in a demure, calm, and polite voice. They voiced their need to the Lord in the way Scripture tells us to do over and over: “They cried out to the Lord in their trouble” (Psalm 107:6). They called out in a strong and loud voice, as if to accentuate how desperately needy they were. They wanted to make certain Jesus knew they needed his help in a big way.
But consider the only leper who came back to say thank you. Look how he expressed his gratitude. In the same way he had asked for pity, the leper thanked Jesus with a strong and loud voice. His was a robust and hearty thanks. The healed man was just as earnest about his thanksgiving as he was in his petitioning.
What a lesson for us all. When I cry out before the Lord with an urgent need, and when he answers, how wrong it would be for me to simply say, “Oh yeah, thanks, Lord; thanks for answering me.” Although it’s better than forgetting to say thank you entirely, there is only one right way to respond – I must remember to not only give thanks but express it with the same intensity and emotion that I voiced in my request. If the tenth leper asked loudly and then upon receiving his healing, thanked God loudly, I ought to do the same.
We are all so very skilled in asking God for any number of things. If we were honest, we’d admit that 90% of our prayers are requests and petitions. We need something. We want something. But do we take the same time and thought to thank God when he answers us? Don’t just assume that he knows you’re grateful. Tell him out loud how thankful you are.
Pray with Me: Lord God, thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for doing so much more than I can ask or imagine like it says in Ephesians 3:20. Put it in my heart to happily and gratefully acknowledge the prayers you answer. If I care enough to bring something to you in prayer… I should care enough to thank you gladly when you answer!
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