Thanksgiving 2016
Happy Thanksgiving! I know it has been a LONG time since I have blogged and I am not promising that I will do it regularly in this season of my life but here I am today. Why? Two reasons: 1) because the Gospel passages of the last two weeks have caught my attention and 2) because a friend said, "Blog!"
Today we are headed to Luke 17.
This past Sunday's lectionary reading was Luke 17:11-19. This is not a surprising text being that it was the Thanksgiving long weekend but it is a startling one. Only one of the ten lepers who was healed by Jesus thanks Him "- and he was a Samaritan"! For a second time in this Gospel, Luke challenges readers to not judge who has faith, who is truly worshiping and trusting Jesus. The Parable of the Good Samaritan followed shortly after a Samaritan village did not welcome Jesus (Luke 9:51-56), But unlike the parable, this time it wasn't a story Jesus told. There was a flesh and blood man who responded in worship and faith and he was a Samaritan.
My focus, however, is not on this man (as great as an example as he is). I am wondering about the other nine. Jesus' question resonates with me, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?" I add my own question too: how could they be so ungrateful?
Knowing what was coming in the lectionary this weekend, I heard something in the previous' week Gospel that possibly answers my question. As I listened to Luke 17:5-10, verse 9 jumped out at me:
"9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?" (NIV)
I thought, "maybe the nine didn't thank Jesus because He was just doing what they told Him to do!" Maybe their lack of gratitude had to do with their attitude toward Jesus. Maybe..... and I get uncomfortable typing this ....maybe the nine viewed Jesus as their servant or even their slave as the word is translated in NASB. 9 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?" (NASB)
So why do I feel uncomfortable considering this? Two reasons:
1) I don't want to judge the other nine (healed) lepers but I can't help notice that these two passages are next to each other in Scripture and so I open myself to the first helping to interpret the second.
2) I wonder: is this me? Do I treat God as my servant (or even slave)? Do I lack gratitude because God is just doing what I think He should be doing (or what I may have even "told Him" to do in prayer)? These questions challenge me.
As much as I don't like the feeling, I am open to being uncomfortable ... it alerts me that something needs to be dealt with. So, I wrote this blog today primarily because I want to increase in my praise of God and expression of gratitude to Him and writing this was a way to solidify these thoughts. I also share it with you as you may find it applies to your life in some way. If so, my hope is that it will lead you to increased faith and gratitude as God is so gracious and good to us.
Feel free to join me in this prayer of repentance and thanksgiving if you want.
O Lord, I confess that too often I lack gratitude towards You. Too often I see the good things around me and think, "Yes, this is how it should be." Too often I expect You to do what I want. Forgive me Lord and have mercy upon me. Thank-You for Your Word that corrects and teaches me. Thank-You for the opportunity to start fresh - cleansed from all unrighteousness. Thank-You for Your grace. Help me to receive Your work, Your provision, Your love, Your goodness, Your kindness, and Your healing with gratitude.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Today we are headed to Luke 17.
This past Sunday's lectionary reading was Luke 17:11-19. This is not a surprising text being that it was the Thanksgiving long weekend but it is a startling one. Only one of the ten lepers who was healed by Jesus thanks Him "- and he was a Samaritan"! For a second time in this Gospel, Luke challenges readers to not judge who has faith, who is truly worshiping and trusting Jesus. The Parable of the Good Samaritan followed shortly after a Samaritan village did not welcome Jesus (Luke 9:51-56), But unlike the parable, this time it wasn't a story Jesus told. There was a flesh and blood man who responded in worship and faith and he was a Samaritan.
My focus, however, is not on this man (as great as an example as he is). I am wondering about the other nine. Jesus' question resonates with me, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?" I add my own question too: how could they be so ungrateful?
Knowing what was coming in the lectionary this weekend, I heard something in the previous' week Gospel that possibly answers my question. As I listened to Luke 17:5-10, verse 9 jumped out at me:
"9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?" (NIV)
I thought, "maybe the nine didn't thank Jesus because He was just doing what they told Him to do!" Maybe their lack of gratitude had to do with their attitude toward Jesus. Maybe..... and I get uncomfortable typing this ....maybe the nine viewed Jesus as their servant or even their slave as the word is translated in NASB. 9 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?" (NASB)
So why do I feel uncomfortable considering this? Two reasons:
1) I don't want to judge the other nine (healed) lepers but I can't help notice that these two passages are next to each other in Scripture and so I open myself to the first helping to interpret the second.
2) I wonder: is this me? Do I treat God as my servant (or even slave)? Do I lack gratitude because God is just doing what I think He should be doing (or what I may have even "told Him" to do in prayer)? These questions challenge me.
As much as I don't like the feeling, I am open to being uncomfortable ... it alerts me that something needs to be dealt with. So, I wrote this blog today primarily because I want to increase in my praise of God and expression of gratitude to Him and writing this was a way to solidify these thoughts. I also share it with you as you may find it applies to your life in some way. If so, my hope is that it will lead you to increased faith and gratitude as God is so gracious and good to us.
Feel free to join me in this prayer of repentance and thanksgiving if you want.
O Lord, I confess that too often I lack gratitude towards You. Too often I see the good things around me and think, "Yes, this is how it should be." Too often I expect You to do what I want. Forgive me Lord and have mercy upon me. Thank-You for Your Word that corrects and teaches me. Thank-You for the opportunity to start fresh - cleansed from all unrighteousness. Thank-You for Your grace. Help me to receive Your work, Your provision, Your love, Your goodness, Your kindness, and Your healing with gratitude.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
I'm grateful for your friend that told you to blog - I love to hear what you are thinking ... thank you for your insightful words
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jess! That motivates me to write more. peace and grace, Tracy
ReplyDeleteI was also thinking about this question: "what happened to the other nine?" when I was talking to some children about this story. I wondered if they had become too busy celebrating their healing with friends or family, or too preoccupied with the various projects and possibilities that having restored health opened up to them. And that made me wonder if we sometimes get preoccupied with the works and projects we think that God wants us to be doing while all the time we are neglecting the fundamental stuff that should be the foundation of these works: thanksgiving, praise, prayer. Just a thought!
ReplyDelete