After a night that seemed much too short, it was once again time for Gale and I to get up and get going as we entered into another work day.  While I was in the bedroom getting dressed and she was in the kitchen I got a whiff of something cooking that was sending out a delightful smell.  I didn’t take time to go investigate, so I was unsure as to what she had in the oven.

Just as I got back from my morning walk she was walking out the door at her usual time—7 AM.  She went on her way and I stayed at the house awhile longer getting ready to head to the hospice office.  As I looked around in the kitchen I confirmed the source of the aroma that had demanded my attention earlier; it was the smell of freshly cooked biscuits.  Not the ones out of a can or from a bag in the freezer, but the real deal:  made-from-scratch cathead biscuits.

I was grateful as I enjoyed the fruit of her early morning labor—two hot biscuits, each stuffed with a piece of sausage! 

When I got to the office I sent her a text to let her know that her surprise baked treat was good.  It had to be inconvenient for her to put forth the effort and mess required to turn out such fine baked goods, especially at that hour of the morning.  She not only wanted to feed me, but she also wanted to make me happy.  It goes without saying that she scored 100% on both accounts.

We might well remember teaching our children and grandchildren the importance of expressing gratitude to others for their acts of kindness extended to them.  Yet sometimes as adults we drift away from showing thankfulness to others; if we are not careful we will take a lot of good things for granted.

Luke 17:11-19 records an account of ten men who were healed by Christ from a most dreaded disease of that day—leprosy.  While all ten of them were cleansed from the horrible condition, only one returned to give God thanks for His miraculous intervention.  Notice the Lord’s heart-searching question:  “Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?”” (Luke 17:17, New International Version).

It was not by accident or per chance that the ten afflicted men were where they needed to be to come into contact with Christ when He passed through their region.  We can rejoice that in His wisdom and compassion He still brings events into perfect alignment so He can work in the lives of people today.  God is able to arrange circumstances so that His perfect will is achieved and His people are abundantly blessed. 

Some of the happenings in our lives seem impossible agents of good at the moment, yet when we look back we can see that God was in control all the while, thus proving the words of Romans 8:28 to be absolutely true:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  For those interventions of God we need to go back and give Him thanks.

Have you failed to give thanks to God and those He used to bring good to your life?  Follow the example of the one who took the time to go back and do what all ten should have done—express sincere appreciation for the blessing received.