Rev. David VanBrugge
And one of them…fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.
—Luke 17:15–16
In the well-known history of the ten lepers who were healed by Christ, Luke records that “one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks” (Luke 17:15–16). These verses are not just part of the plot, or even the conclusion to the miracle. These verses hold a very remarkable lesson for us as we consider our thanksgiving. It was not just one man who came to Jesus for healing; he was one of ten lepers who came to meet Jesus. Ten lepers cried out for Jesus to heal them and all ten received healing. And all ten lepers were eager to show themselves to the priests and re-enter society.
All ten had asked, and they all received. But only one turned back to give thanks.
Undoubtedly we all have expressed many prayers and petitions in the last year. God has heard our prayers for our nations, our churches, our families, our homes, our food, our safety, our health. He has granted us the liberty to worship publicly and blessed us with a church family. He has showered us with more than we need for our daily bread.
We have also received many spiritual blessings. As individuals and churches, we have prayed for spiritual help and grace and growth. God has blessed us with His Word and with clear presentations of the gospel. He has blessed us with the working of His Spirit. He has blessed us with increased humility, Christ-centeredness, and spiritual fruitfulness.
We have asked and we have received—even more than we requested. Have we expressed our thanks? Are we like the nine or the one?
It is likely true that all the healed lepers were excited about what they had received. Together, they left to do what Jesus had told them to do. But being excited about something and even discussing it with others is not the same as doing it. We need to be like the one leper who “when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks” (v. 15). We need to come to our heavenly Father in prayer and praise, not just with further requests! Not expecting more, but with gratitude for what we have received. We need to stop and realize everything God has given in this past year, turn to Him, and praise Him publicly.
Living like the nine—without thanksgiving—declares that we think we deserved what we received. It is treating God like a servant rather than like our Lord. Living with ingratitude is a sign of depravity and of godlessness (Rom. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:1–2). But gratitude fulfills, at least in part, the requirement of glorifying God (Shorter Catechism, Q. 1). Even as Christ healed these men, the glory of God was His top concern. “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger” (vv. 17–18). Did God not deserve praise from the nine, too? Why is it that the one who did return to give thanks is not even a Jew, but a stranger, a maligned Samaritan?
Gratitude then is a mark of true spiritual life. Notice how Jesus responds. When this one leper comes back and worships Christ, what was the Savior’s response? “And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole” (v. 19). As this one man expresses his thanks, he receives greater blessin —which would have made him even more thankful. Thy faith has made thee whole. Certainly for this man, and all those who have known and received spiritual healing and wholeness from the Savior, life becomes one extended thanksgiving—not just for daily blessings, but also for what God has done through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Thanksgiving, as you count your blessings one by one, express thanks for them, one by one. Be like the one, not the nine.
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Rev. David VanBrugge is a pastor in the Heritage Netherlands Reformed
Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Published with permission by The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth