"Now one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell downon his face at His feet, giving Him thanks ..."  Luke 17:15-16

Thought:
There is no story in the Gospels that so poignantly sets in contrast base ingratitude over true gratefulness.  The lepers had come to Jesus with a desperate need and longing. He had cured them, but nine of them neve came back to give Him thanks.  Among the lessons the Holy Spirit would teach us from this incident are three that relate particularly to this theme of the grace of gratitude.

1.) The Rareness of Christian Gratitude:
"So Jesus answered and said, 'Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?" (verse 17).  Nine out of ten were more ready to pray than to praise; and how true this is today!  Invariably, we come to God like these ten lepers, more ready to get than to give.  How easy it is, even in our private prayers and public testimonies, to boast and brag about our salvation, forgetting all the time that we owe everything to our wonderful Lod.  Yes, the grace of gratitude is rare.

2.) The Reality of Christian Gratitude:
"Now one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned ..." (verse 5). When true gratitude masters a believing soul, it expresses itself by genuine thoughtfulness and thoroughness.  This leper "returned and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks."

3.) Teh Reward of Christian Gratitude:
"Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?' And He said to Him, 'Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well" (verse 18-19).  God always rewards a thankful heart.  Not only did this Samaritan leper receive an outward cleansing, but he was blessed with an inner cleansing as well.  We should not seek merit or reward for giving thanks, but when the Lord is glorified by our praise, we surely receive a double blessing!

Thrust:
             Make the grace of gratitude, Mold my daily attitude 

This, dear Lord, is my request, Only then my heart can rest.