“Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Jesus, Luke 17:18)
Have you ever had a gift you wanted so badly for so long, but once you got it, you didn’t even care? That’s how people can be sometimes. The day I got a new iPad, I was the happiest girl in the world. I thought my life had changed. Then days later, it was at the bottom of a pile in my room. I wasn’t that thankful.
God doesn’t want us to be like that. He is looking for people that will come back and thank Him when they get their long-awaited gift. Listen to this story of ten lepers who Jesus healed:
As He entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him for what He had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you” (Luke 17:12-19)
10 were healed, but only 1 said thank you. Which one will you be? You can decide to be thankful in advance, actually—even before your gift comes. Mary and Elizabeth, the mothers of Jesus and John the Baptist are great examples. While they were still pregnant, they both glorified God, thanking Him for what was promised to them. Here’s what they said:
Mary: “How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:47,48)
Elizabeth: “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children” (Luke 1:25)
They didn’t even have their promise totally fulfilled yet, but they both praised the Lord and were deeply thankful in advance. I want to be like that, and I want you to be like that too. It just takes some planning and mind-setting while we wait. As we celebrate the birth of our long-awaited Savior, can we also set our hearts to be grateful to God for what’s to come? Let’s be like Mary and Elizabeth, who glorified God while the baby was still in their womb. God has great plans for us in 2012.
So this Christmas week, let’s pray together that:
- We will rest in peace and glorify God for what He will bring us in 2012
- We will be deeply grateful when our gifts finally do come
- Global Media Outreach would rejoice in the great things God is doing
Merry Christmas! God loves you!
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