Day 2: Where Are the Other Nine?

“Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?’” (Luke 17:17)

Jesus commanded the ten men with leprosy to go and show themselves to the priests, even though they had not yet received their healing. They obeyed; and as they went on their way, they were cleansed. Yet only one came back to give thanks to Jesus. All ten men had faith to believe for their healing; but sadly, nine of them did not have the grace to thank the Lord for the blessing. This points to a besetting sin for many of us today: that of not being thankful.

The ingratitude of the nine healed from leprosy amazed Jesus, who asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Maybe they were too busy celebrating their healing with their respective families. Or perhaps they were going on to the next problem: Where were they going to replace their unclean clothing? How were they going to get a job now that they were clean? Whatever it was, the result was that they didn’t stop to say, “Thank you, Lord.”

If we were to be honest with ourselves—and with God—we would have to admit that many of us are chronically ungrateful. We have ninety-nine things for which to be thankful, yet we often focus on the one thing that we might need. Then we complain and cry out to God, He helps us yet again, and we don’t thank him even for that answer to prayer. Instead, we’re on to the next problem. That’s the truth about a lot of us. In fact, some of us owe back pay in thanking God for all He’s done in our lives.

It’s a sign of the times. The Bible says that in the end times people will be religious yet unthankful. In other words, people will be going to church but will be ungrateful. Isn’t that happening all around us today? Always looking at the problem or what’s missing and not stopping to thank God for even being alive?

Thank God for his mercy toward us! Jesus did not say, “If the nine men aren’t thankful, let them be plagued with leprosy once again!” No, He didn’t do that. But it did hurt Him. Why does it still hurt the Lord when we’re not thankful? Because ingratitude to God is the first step toward backsliding and departure from God. The apostle Paul shows that in the first chapter of Romans (1:21). So, it is to our benefit to have a thankful heart toward God.

In view of this, shouldn’t we all take some time this Thanksgiving season to refocus and count our blessings instead of our problems? We all go through things, but we have Christ, he died for us, our sins are washed away, and God is on our side! God has been good. Can we say, “Thank you, Lord?" The Bible tells us to enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. That’s the only way to approach God: by blessing His name and thanking Him for all His benefits. He isn’t angry with us today. He’s simply waiting for us to draw near to Him with thanksgiving in our hearts, so that He can draw near to us. Let’s do that today and every day of our lives!