I hope that this coming holiday, Thanksgiving, is much more to you than just a big meal with turkey, dressing, etc. I further hope that the upcoming holiday, Thanksgiving, is much more to you than just being with loved ones.

We as God’s people have so very much to be thankful for, the greatest of these blessings from God is that we live in hope of eternal life in heaven with God, Christ, and all the faithful who ever lived. “That having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7).

Thanksgiving should not be just a holiday from work, a meal, and a time with family, but it should be a state of mind and an attitude of our hearts throughout the whole year. This is what the Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:20 - “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 4:6 - “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Also, Colossians 2:7 - “Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

In Luke 17:11-19 we see a heart of thankfulness and hearts of no thankfulness. This is the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. They begged for mercy. They received mercy. Christ healed all ten. But nine of these did not even return to thank Him. We say, “How could they be so cold and unthankful?” But if we are not careful, we will do likewise. Let’s read what the one did. “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan” (vs. 15-16). If you are a Christian, Christ has healed you of the killing, soul condemning leprosy of sin. Nothing is greater than this.

- Good News, Nov. 7, 1999