Be The One

As Americans we gather to eat turkey, dressing and all the trimmings. Statistics tell us that Thanksgiving is the most traveled holiday of the year. Airports are crowded and highways backed-up, but we make the trek, drawn by family ties.

During the mixture of food, family and fellowship, memories are captured on our smart phones and posted on Facebook. Traditions are upheld and calories consumed as conversations around the table bounce from one subject to another in hilarious chaos.

That’s Thanksgiving . . .

There’s a story in Luke about ten lepers who cried out to Jesus to help them. They were required to stay one hundred feet away by law, being set apart from their families and communities because of their contagious disease.

The Lord heard their cries and healed them. He instructed them to go show themselves to the priest, proving they were clean so they could return to their families, their homes. It was no doubt an exciting time when they could embrace their loved ones and greet their friends.

Luke 17:15 NIV says…

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.”

Though a time of rejoicing awaited, this healed man and his life had been restored, he stopped, returned and loudly thanked the Lord for healing him. It was an amazing example of thanksgiving.

As we enjoy reunions with our loved ones, endure weird relatives and listen to grandpa snore during the football game, pause to listen to the noises around you. A new-born baby’s cry, a teen ager popping her gum and your aunt telling the same story for the fourth time are sounds to be treasured. Your mother’s smile should be imprinted in your memory.

As a kaleidoscope of emotions run the gamut during the holiday season, while among the hub-bub…don’t forget to pause and be thankful. We’re a blessed people.

Psalms 100:4 NIV says…

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise: give thanks to him and praise his name.”

This holiday season, be the one who returns to say a heart-felt thank you because He deserves our praise.