Thanksgiving is a day set aside by our government years ago.
The first mention we have of thanksgiving is sometimes a simple Happy Turkey Day.
They forget the Thanksgiving part.
Jesus travelling on his way to save us from our sins.
Travelling between Galilee and Samaria. A no man's land between two peoples. The Jews shunned the Samaritans as half-bloods. A people who improperly worship God.
Lepers. A people cast out by all peoples. Unclean. Cut off from friends and family. Cut off from worship. Unclean before the law from God himself.
Jesus encounters a group of ten Lepers. They call out "Jesus, master, have mercy upon us".
They wanted healing though they didn't ask for it, though it was obvious that is what they wanted.
Jesus didn't say you are healed go see the priests. He simply said "go see the priests". And so they headed off to do so. They showed they had enough faith to obey Jesus.
On the way they noticed they were cleansed. They were healed. No longer cut off. They had a good reasons to return to the priests and therefore into society. They hurried on their way.
Except for one. He turned around and headed back to the one who had healed him. Thus a despised Samaritan. He comes back to Jesus I thanksgiving.
Jesus asks "was no one found to return but this foreigner to give praise God"?
The others gave no thought to returning.
Only this one thought to praise God for his healing.
And so it goes today. People go to Jesus for healing but fail to thank God for the healing received. They just go on their merry way. They are satisfied just being returned to health and life, not really seeing the mercy given.
Jesus tells him Your faith has saved you. He healed him through and through. Not just of his leprosy. But of his rebellion against God as well.
When you come to Jesus in faith seeking him in mercy and trust, and thanking him reminds us that he died for you his people.
Our trusting and turning to God results in our healing in so many more ways than you can imagine.
Remember we have so much to be thankful to God for.
Take for instance this election doesn't have us living in fear. No guns, no fear, no isolation. We have homes, food, friends, a life abundant. So much To be thankful for.