Today's Lectionary TextLuke 17:12-19As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “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 made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”  Today's Devotional
Today’s Scripture is a quintessential "thanksgiving" Scripture about giving thanks. Now, the day after Thanksgiving, we move are in the Happy ThanksChristmas time, and prepare to celebrate Advent on Sunday.
Before we leave Thanksgiving too quickly, we pause at today’s Scripture. I appreciate in this story that there were 10 people who had a skin disease. As we know they were on the outskirts of the society, and I imagine this loud fanfare as Jesus was coming into town. They give their attention and their trust to Jesus and Jesus instructs them to go into town to go to the priests. We learned that nine of them stayed in town, enjoying the new life. Only one of the people who formerly had a skin disease returned to thank Jesus, and he was even an outsider of the outsiders, being a Samaritan. There are many, many times in my life I am like the nine. Yet I am reminded in this Scripture to act like No. 10. Being thankful is something we want to cultivate as disciples of Christ. It is a choice to be thankful. With God’s help, we can shape an attitude and lifestyle of thankfulness. As disciples of Christ, we give thanks to God who is the giver of all good things. So today, before we move quickly into the next season, take a moment to ponder at least 10 ways to thank God in honor of No. 10. Prayer for ReflectionCome ye thankful people come, raise the song of harvest home; all is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin. God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied; come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. (United Methodist Hymnal #694)
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