Rev. H. Matiya Nkhoma, General Secretary CCAP Synod of Livingstonia
18 November, 2007 Westminster Presbyterian Church, Chehalis, WA
Malawi, Africa
“Understand, Appreciate, then Give Thanks”
All living things react to situations and moments accordingly. Weeping is easily associated with some sad event like death or any other misfortune. Laughter, kissing, hugging and holding hands are associated with love and intimacy among people. Disappointment may be expressed with anger or remorse.
The phrase “Thank you” is a way often used to express appreciation for what has been given, done or said to us. Sometimes we express thanks by giving out something like time, service or any physical item. The phrase ‘thank you’ is used so often that there is a possibility of using it without fully associating it with the main purpose of saying thank you.
The Bible records several situations where God’s people are called to give thanks. In Psalm 95:2 ;100:4 King David is urging his people to worship and give thanks to God for His goodness.
The story of Elisha recorded in 2 Kings 4:13 speaks to us of something that the prophet had detected in the Shunammite woman. Following the first invitation by the woman Elisha became a regular guest of the family. After several visits to their house, the woman was convinced that Elisha was a holy man of God. She proposed to her husband that hospitality to the prophet be extended through the provision of a lodging room in which she put a bed, a table a candlestick and all that were required for his convenience.
Elisha became extremely pleased. He looked beyond and understood the labor, love and generosity of the woman. He developed deep sense of appreciation and gratitude. To him, the usual expression “Thank you” seemed not enough. He considered to pay back the generosity he had received.
Through his servant, Elisha learned that although the woman was comfortable among her home people but she had one grievance of being childless. The woman had passed hopes of having one since her husband was old. Although it was so, Elisha promised her reward of a son who was born at the season as he had spoken. In giving to the cause of God’s kingdom, the woman received blessings. The text ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’ recorded in Acts 20:35, came true. Giving generously and appreciating gifts with understanding are all godly.
Giving thanks for anything must therefore be associated with understanding and appreciation of what someone has done and gone through for the sake of others. We sometimes wonder why some people show very little or no appreciation for what has been done for them. I want to assume that it may be an attitude of “I deserve it” or merely being overcome by other things.
One very pertinent lesson we need to take heed whenever we are in a process of giving thanks is how we give those thanks. The lesson of ten lepers recorded in Luke 17:11-17 has something to learn from. While it was proper for the leper who came back to thank Jesus, the manner in which he gave his thanks is also very important. We preachers often emphasize the point that the Samaritan gave thanks and the other lepers did not do so. We tend to ignore how the leper expressed his thanks.
Verses 15 and 16 read as follows: “Then one of them when he saw that he was healed, turned back praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him. And he was a Samaritan”.
He expressed his thanks with great humility. He did not stretch his hand to greet Jesus. The Bible says he praised God with a loud voice and prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet.
I cannot teach American History but can only remind you and myself that as we approach the Thanksgiving Thursday, the 56 immigrants to New England who survived out of 103 behaved like the leper who came back to thank Jesus. In their first Thanksgiving, the following quotation refers to what is said about them and their Governor, William Bradford.
“Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their proper element”.
This is a heart touching record of those God’s people. They did not stretch their hand nor did they boast for their survival. They fell upon their knees and attributed their survival and success to God. Apart from the hard times of the early immigrants to this great continent, the present generation too must thank God for the wealth, development and abundant resources in this continent. I know it is difficult when Science is regarded as the tool for success.
Further, as God’s people who believe in the saving power of Christ’s death, we must bring or continue to bring our thanksgiving with a humble spirit. We are only giving back what is already His. What we give to people whether near or far, we are giving it to God. Lack of proper manner of saying ‘thank you’ may be equal to ingratitude.
It is also very interesting to note the belief of the people during the time of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the story of the ten lepers, it is a Samaritan who came back to thank Jesus. By virtue of being a Samaritan he would not be considered to be a member of the Kingdom. Yet he did better than those who would be considered members.
Through my thirty years in the ministry, I have experienced that sometimes non church members are more understanding than church members. Because of this, I refer to the famous story of a Prodigal Son in Luke 15 as a story of Prodigal Sons. To me, the situation with an elder brother who was at home was worse than the one who went away. The elder son was lost while at home. It is possible for Church members to get lost while they are in the church.
Another point is that Christ’s generosity is abundant. He healed the ten lepers together. This is not common in our medical sciences. From one doctor, hospital or clinic one may be healed from some illness while others may not. Have you ever heard of a hospital where one drug can heal all the patients at once? Jesus did it with the ten lepers. He healed all of them. He does it and He will do it.
The death of Jesus is enough to save the whole America, Europe, China, Africa and the whole world. While some people are grateful and others are not God through our Lord blesses us all. But few return to give Him thanks. The difference however is that those who give thanks to God have additional blessings as was given to the grateful leper. We therefore need to thank God that we are able to thank Him while others are not.
Let us therefore come forward and celebrate this year’s “Thanksgiving Service” understanding that the good Lord has been very generous to this continent beginning from the difficult days of the first immigrants with the generosity that was given by the Native Americans. Thanksgiving should not be a routine action restricted to one particular day. Our day to day lives should reflect our appreciation to what God has done and continues to do to each of us individually and the whole continent. While our Science laboratories are advanced, we need to attribute all the success of this nation to God. The inscription on the American dollar which says “In God we trust” should be taken seriously. We are reminded to enjoy the celebration of Thanksgiving with humility before our God.
May His name continue to be praised with our thanks now and forever. AMEN
