On Giving Thanks

And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, "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 said Jesus, "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." [Luke 17:12-19]

Today God answered a prayer of mine. I feel so humbled by the response that I fear that I am not as thankful as I need to be. The above story reminds me that people who were given their request by Jesus to be cured of leprosy forgot to say "Thank You" to the God who healed them. How could that be? I fear the ratio of 1:10 probably applies to many of us today.

My daughter, Rachel, suffered a traumatic brain injury due to a strep infection in August. She had to have part of her skull removed and she came very close to dying. She lost some vision before the surgery. We had hoped that her vision might be restored following the surgery; but, to date she continues to suffer loss of peripheral vision on the right side. Two days ago the opthamologist she visited told her that the vision was so impaired that she would never drive again. The reality of that diagnosis came crashing in on her. As a mother of a 10 month old who lives on the outskirts of the metropolitan Detroit area, not being able to drive was a crushing blow. I specifically prayed and asked God, that if were His will for her life, to restore her vision so that she could at least pass a driver's test and be able to drive again. But, I also prayed that if she could not drive, that He would use her blindness for the sake of the kingdom. I really felt like I put this one request front and center.

Today Rachel visited with a neuro-opthomologist at the Henry Ford Medical Institute in Detroit to get a second opinion. She had called yesterday and they just happened to have had an opening this morning. She called me late morning and I could hear the excitement in her voice. This doctor told her that it might take months, and special therapy, but that in his opinion, he thought she could qualify to pass the Michigan's driver's test to get a driver's license! God is so good!

I know that not all of our requests are so dramatically answered in such short time. However, I want to fall down at the feet of Jesus and say "Thank you Lord for your gift of healing". How does one say "Thank You" to God? I think it is by doing His will and loving God first and your neighbor second. It sounds so easy. Yet 9 out of 10 lepers failed to say "thank you" after experiencing a miracle. We all experience miracles of birth, healing and answered prayers every day. Learning to live life in appreciation and gratitude is the way to obtain joy and celebration. Tonight I am celebrating an answered prayer. Blessed is the name of the Lord!