Today’s Reading: Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 9:51-56; 10:1-42; 11:1-13; 17:11-19; John 10:22-42

Here is another verse I try to keep in my heart – Luke 17:18.

“Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

I’ve done a bible study on this verse done by Andy Stanley about 3 years ago. I was so grateful for him to show me this verse and taught me to express gratitude openly and frequently. But, I was really bad at it. Finally, Erica at my office turned to me and said that “Jennifer, you are really bad at saying thank-you”. You should have seen my face! (yes, she is a good accountability partner for me.) But, I did think about it and she was in fact correct. I was so busy at doing stuff and at rushing one thing after another, so that I did not express my gratitude to others around me. I mean, “they should know I am grateful, even if I don’t have to say it out loud”! WRONG!

After that, I am constantly trying to remember if I say “thank-you” enough. In this verse, Jesus healed 10 men, but only one came back to say “thank-you”. By not expressing gratitude, you in fact expressed ingratitude. Since one came and said “thank-you”, the other nine may not feel “thank-you” enough to come and say so! When we do not say “thank-you”, we are expressing our ingratitude to those who deserve gratitude.

So, who did you forget to say “thank-you” today? How about we start with God our father who provides for all our needs and delights in all our details?