Luke 17:11-17(The ten lepers)
These men were ceremonially defiled and forced to live outside the village (Leviticus13:46). They were legally required to stand at a distance, and thus their communication with Christ was by shouting. For a description of leprosy. These 10 lepers were pleading for Jesus' healing upon them. They knew of Jesus Christ that he could heal them and make them whole again.
Jesus Christ heard their shout and cry and told them to go and declare themselves to the Priests to be declared clean. As they went, the healing was sudden and immediately visible, but occurred after they obeyed his command. Only one of them returned, how surprising. His response was reminiscent of the conduct of Naaman(2Kings5:15). The others, eager to be declared clean so that they could return to normal life in society, evidently continued on to the priests, forgetting to give thanks.
The one who returned was a Samaritan. Speaking of a Samaritan, one who isn't a Jew who were regarded as unclean. Jesus sending the lepers to show themselves to the priest suggest that they were Jewish. This Samaritan had been permitted to associate with them when all were ceremonially unclean, but in their healing, they did not share his deep gratitude. Evidently Jesus did not view Samaritans as anything more or less than other Gentiles. We need to show gratitude to God as disciples of Christ Jesus.
There are several ways of showing gratitude to God:
1. By giving of offerings and tithes
2. Thanking through songs of worship and praise
3. Prayer of thankfulness
Disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to be content with everything God has given us, through being content you will be able to give thanks to God liberally. To be self-sufficient or to be satisfied with whatever God gives you and to be thankful to him really touches his heart to give you more than you expect.
Even as human as we are when we offer a gift to someone or when we give something to someone and the person shows gratitude, how do we feel? Even next time we will do more for the person. How much more God who we ought to give glory. Saying thank you to someone is really important in the life of a disciple. No matter what happens we should learn how to give thanks.
From 1Thessalonians5:18 We read "in everything give thanks...!". Does the verse tell us to give thanks all the days of our lives or occasionally? How can one be thankful when things are not working out. Being thankful as an act of worship or praise opens the heart of God to bless you more and more.
What if one forgets to give thanks what will happen? God knows our heart and every thankfulness begins from the heart. When it escapes you to give thanks, don't be afraid, for God already knows your heart. He has given us the Holy Spirit to remind us of all forgetfulness and He will remind you of all thankfulness.
It is the will of God for one to thank Him, when going through crisis, such as natural and artificial troubles rendering human life helpless. Giving thanks to God makes Him Glorious (Ephesians5:20)
According to Romans1:18-20, God has sovereignly planted evidence of His existence in the very nature of man by reason and moral law. Look at the air we breathe, we don't pay anything for God's oxygen, yet we refuse to thank Him. If you have never asked of the price of oxygen given to patients in the hospital, I urge you to. And you will see how much you owe God.
Thank God for everything He has created and acknowledge his power. Un thankfulness is the attitude of the unrighteous. In verse 20 of Romans1, God holds all men responsible for their refusal to acknowledge what He has shown them of Himself in His creation. Even those who have never had an opportunity to hear the Gospel, have received a clear witness about the existence and character of God, and have suppressed it.
However, Un thankfulness shouldn't be in the heart of a disciple in Jesus Christ. As new creatures in God, our greatest gratitude is being thankful for Jesus Christ who delivered us from our sins. Be thankful for God's grace, His love, His sovereign provision, for His mercies and for whatever circumstances you find yourself in. For He surely welcomes your gratitude.