Lesson from a Leper

"Offer unto God thanksgiving... And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me" (Psalm 50:14,15). "Ten men that were lepers... lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto they priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God... giving Him thanks.... And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?" (Luke 17:12-17).

We who have called upon God should give thanks
And praise Him for all of His answers to prayer!
Perhaps that will mean that we need to break ranks
With those who forget Him and don't seem to care.

Ten who were lepers were by our Lord healed;
The Gospel of Luke has provided their story.
Nine kept on walking when this was revealed,
But one left the others to give God the glory.

Where were the nine who were healed by God?
Why was there only one leper returned?
Alas! Such ingratitude isn't so odd!
Beware! There's a lesson for us to be learned!

How many times do we likewise forget
To glorify God with thanksgiving and praise
For all of the needs that our Lord surely met,
With goodness and mercy through all of our days?

Teach us, O Lord, as we ponder these ten,
To be like that leper who gratefully came.
Though ingratitude still is common to men,
Turn us again to give thanks to Your name.