Maybe it was my being laid up after knee surgery or my wife caring for me when I got home. Anyway, it brought me to the place of thinking about life and some of the things that are important.
I realized that relationships are one of the most important things we have in life, but we tend to take them for granted.
As my wife was working so hard to take care of me, I found myself being very thankful for her, and I told her I really appreciated all that she did for me.
I also began to rethink my relationship to others and especially my relationship to God, and I found that I fall short in thanking them or being thankful enough.
People like to be appreciated, and they like to hear a sincere thank you every now and then. Maybe our fast-paced lifestyles or materialistic culture keeps us from thinking, evaluating and appreciating the important things of life.
Jesus took time to thank God the Father for many things, for instance, food.
Matthew 14:19 - Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
All through the Bible, we find people giving thanks to God, and we are told to do likewise.
Psalm 86:12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
Psalm 95:2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Psalm 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Yes, there will be many who will not give thanks.
Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Let’s be like the Samaritan leprous man who was healed and returned to thank Jesus but the other nine did not.
Luke 17:11-19 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
See you in Church next Sunday.