Prayer 2021 – November 28 – Giving Thanks pt 4

Scripture For Today:

 Philemon 1:22

“And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.”

Giving Thanks pt 4

We are in the season of “Thanksgiving” here in the United States, and these last few days we have been looking at the story of the 10 lepers to learn about “Thanksgiving.” I pray that you’ve received some great inspiration on the importance of giving thanks during this week. Amen!

With our story of the 10 lepers and the one that returned – only one. Only ONE that returned to give Jesus thanks for healing him of this dreaded disease.

The others did nothing wrong, per se. They were doing exactly what Jesus had instructed them to do. He told them, “Go and show yourself to the priests.” That is what they were doing.

But this one, unnamed man, decided it was more important for him to return and thank Jesus for the healing – BEFORE he was declared clean by the priests. He wanted to praise Jesus FIRST.

We can learn a lot from that.  Will you give Jesus praise – even before your family knows what blessing you received?

Can you miss it? Sure you can. It’s a short week for most folks, which means you might be horribly busy for one, two, or three days. You might have some time off, which means you’ve got some honey-do chores at home, some tasks at church, or some Christmas shopping to do at all the big sales. If you’re traveling, you’ve got to get going. If you’re hosting the family, you’ve got to cook. You’ve got to get to the grocery store. You’ve got to call the turkey help-line again and remember how to get it done.

In a holiday week, it’s possible to get all the way through Thanksgiving without ever actually STOPPING to be thankful! AMEN!

Don’t do that! Commit to it, and do it. That is worship.

One healed leper came back. One caught himself in the midst of the celebration, and returned to Jesus. He reversed his steps, put his family on hold, put the priest on hold, and came back to the cause of his celebration. His response and life situation were unique, but in the simplest sense of what he did his thankfulness led to action. And boy, did that turn out to be important!

“Where are the other nine?” Jesus asked.

Do you realize what this says? Jesus said, “Go, and show yourselves to the priests. Jesus never commanded that any of them express thankfulness to God, or return to him, the healer. Nevertheless, that is what Jesus expected.

What kind of action is Jesus looking for from you? Has God’s Holy Spirit been urging you toward some action step? Had the Lord been tugging at you for some step of faith? Is there a family, a friend, or even a stranger in need of help this Thanksgiving season? Is there something you feel compelled to do?

My best advice, based on what Jesus was looking for 2,000 years ago, is to take that step of action. Assume God is pulling you toward that area, or that action, and get it done. Otherwise, a prayer over the Thanksgiving meal will last about as long as that sensation of fullness after the meal. I don’t know about you, but no matter how full I get on Thanksgiving Thursday, I always manage to eat well on Friday.

Shouldn’t our spirit of thankfulness last longer than that? Get it done!

Look at the Scripture again, and walk with me through this. Tomorrow, were  going to look at three different words that are all trying to say the same thing. They’re all saying that this “used to be leper” is now healed and is well.

But you will be surprised by what Jesus actually said and what this man and those around Jesus understood Him to say. HINT:  It’s not what the English translation says… well, it IS, but yet, it is much, much deeper than that.

So, I’ll just leave with that cliff hanger! Amen!  Return tomorrow as we conclude this “Thanksgiving week prayer study in Prayer 2021!

Let’s Pray!

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