Thanks

“ Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. ”

A gift is given, a sacrifice made, a valuable belonging passes from hand to hand, from one who has to one who needs: it goes without a word, without a nod, without a “ thank you .” Something is terribly wrong with that: a great injustice, even an act of violence has taken place.

Did you ever do something for someone, with a good motive, not for praise or to buy friendship, not for popularity or votes or love? But when you did it, and spent your time and money, your care and desire to see a blessing bestowed: the other party pried it from your hand and turned away with his treasure, fleeing so that you might not change your mind and try to get it back. No word of thanks was given, no acknowledgment of the gift. You didn't do it for thanks, but having received none, you feel an odd sense of failure. Something didn't happen, and it should have. The gift you gave wasn't received as a gift, but as loot taken from just another sucker.

Jesus quietly healed ten lepers. They had all come to Him, crying out their misery: “ Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” He could have reached out and touched them. He could have taken them to the river to wash. He could have given a word of command for their open sores to be healed. But rather He commanded them to go to the priests for an examination. Why? In Judaism, lepers were seen as cursed by God. Their affliction was a spiritual matter, an uncleanness of body and soul. For this disease, both its diagnosis and its certificate of cure, it was the office of priests. Had Jesus healed them some other way, they still would have had to certify this healing by seeing a priest. Thus they could be restored to their families and the greater society.

It was on their way that the men realized that they had been healed. Fetid sores on their hands had become clean new skin. Rotted patches in their faces now beamed with smiles and radiant health. In their excitement, and their urgent desire to be certified “clean” the Jewish lepers continued on their path to the priest. They couldn't believe their good fortune, the turn of their fate. It was a good day.

Only one of the lepers—who had previously been equal to the others because in their uncleanness they were equally vile and miserable souls—now was different from the others. He was a Samaritan. The priest would not have seen him, but would still have rejected him. Samaritans were regarded as half-breeds, with a defective heretical religion, much as we might regard Jehovah's Witnesses or Moonies. This man had nowhere to go. He had lost everything, but now he had his health. So, not being locked into the religious system of the Jews—who for sheer adherence to the Law could not see God's Son in Jesus—the Samaritan saw only Jesus, his healer: he had to go back to thank Him. So he did. Jesus received the man's thanks and praises. Then, to make sure everyone got the irony of the situation and took a lesson from it, He pointed out there were ten lepers healed . “'But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.' And he said unto him, ‘Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.'”

This wasn't the only time Jesus was not thanked. How many times did He heal the lame, the blind, the deaf, the demonized, and raise the dead but was condemned by some in His goodness and renounced as trafficking in witchcraft, breaking the Sabbath laws, leading the people astray. Raising Lazarus from the tomb only caused the priests in nearby Jerusalem to plot against both Lazarus and Jesus to kill them. The Son of God came into His Temple for good, and received crucifixion for His generosity, for His holiness. He came to save mankind from its sins by dying the death of an unthanked and unpraised criminal. Having done so, most of His people continued to walk in unbelief and reject Him, without thanks for the great gift He was offering them.

It is an unwashed generation, and one that will never be healed or saved, that will not turn back to Jesus and offer thanks. St. Paul told the Romans what was wrong with the pagan world, for they were shown as all men are, the revelation of God's handiwork; “…that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools...” Romans 1:18-23

Taking a gift without thanks is theft, akin to piracy. A pirate takes what is not his and disregards lawful authority. He flies a skull and crossbones rather than the flag of any nation. Untold numbers of people in this world have had the graces of life, good health, sunshine and food and family and home, a beautiful country and peace and prosperity, freedom and lack of want, a free education in a land of parks, highways and plentiful opportunity. And above all this, the free offer of everlasting life, forgiveness of sins, a loving God and Savior, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit with all attending blessing and joy.

But no. Life's not good. I'm unhappy. Someone was rude to me. You can't trust the government. It's all lies. I'm entitled to more. I don't have to. You're trying to trick me, but I'm not going for it. Give me that. Nobody's my friend. I'm no fool. You gotta make your own way in this world.

Bad things do happen to everyone, the bad and the good. And things happen that we can't understand, can't see the benefit of, that later yield a good outcome. Truly it's been said that whatever adversity doesn't kill you will only make you strong . Whatever trial you've endured will make you a comfort to those who are going through it. Cancer survivors make wonderful friends to those who are in chemotherapy. A former addict, alcoholic, or aborted woman can thank the God who saved them and use their past for the good of others now lost in these things. “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Now, if all things work together for good, then all bad things have a good purpose, if only we see it, if only we trust the One who is always watching and cares. If we just know that, in the depth of our worse moment, in our darkest hour—if even then we know we can't lose what God Himself has entrusted to us—Life everlasting—then we can thank Him for whatever is happening, and we can smile in the face of our adversity, laugh at our troubles, bring praises back to Him who has seen fit for us to die in the arena today, food for lions, entertainment for the crowds. The first Christians died singing.

King David was a hunted outlaw, and yet made the most wonderful songs of thanksgiving:“ O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever… The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me… The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly… The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it… Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord… Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 118

The word “thanks” is found in both New and Old Testaments, but I note that it more often appears in the New. Thanks is rendered in New Testament Greek, Eucharisteo , to be grateful and express it. It is the root of our word Eucharist , the Blessed Sacrament. The ancients gave it this name for we say thanks to God for the Body and Blood of Jesus.

Jesus gave thanks to His Father repeatedly, at every meal, even when His ministry was rejected by the powerful and was only received by the poor: “ I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” Matthew 11:25-27

How can we know God? How can we begin to have the kind of faith that will change our lives? If that beginning is a struggle for you, and you can't see the good in all this, God's hand in your life: give thanks . “Thanks for what? Thanks for my aching back, my schlem of a husband, my worries, my unpaid bills?” Yes, thanks even for those. Can you do it? Not perhaps with much feeling, I know, but say it anyway. Say, “Thank you, God, for my life, even for its sorrows. Thank you that I have the power to thank you, to say this thanksgiving, even when I don't feel like it. Thank you that your Son died for me. I don't know why I should be so thankful, but thank you that I can say it, at least. Thank you that I have a mouth to thank you. Thank you that I understand these words, even if I am struggling to believe them.”

An act of thanksgiving, of at least mouthing appreciation is a powerful cure for whatever ails you. It may not be the first thing you need to do in the Presence of Almighty God, but you ought to give Him thanks before you leave. You may spend an hour in deep repentance, but when you're done, thank Him. Thank Him for being here. Thank Him for loving you. Thank Him for putting up with your stuff, for not giving up on you. Thank Him for letting you live. Truly the Psalms have it right and we can always: “ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and speak good of his name. For the Lord is gracious; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth from generation to generation.” Psalm 100:4-5

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