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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 Jesus answered, “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 17:15–19
It is so easy to disconnect our Father’s answer to our prayers from thankful praise. Like children who consistently need to be reminded to say thank you, we need a lesson in how to respond to our God. Thanksgiving is the breath of life for the believer. Our faith is not called to be something merely abstract, but something listed with proofs. Not proofs that can appeal to someone who does not believe. They wouldn’t work. No, they are reminders of our reason for confidence and joy, listed out for the glory of the Son. Perhaps nine churches out of ten will forget to do this, and perhaps that portion is always the same in the coming of our Savior’s kingdom. Let’s not let that happen to us. So much has been done for our church; it would be all the more shame not to shout our constant thankfulness to our God!