THANKED HIM / LUKE 17:16

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Luke 17:16

And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

The Power of a Grateful Heart: Lessons from Luke 17:16

In the routine of our daily lives, it is easy to get caught up in asking God for what we need while forgetting to thank Him for what He has already done. We often approach Him with a list of requests, but how often do we approach Him simply to offer our praise?

The Gospel of Luke presents a powerful story that challenges our heart posture toward God. In Luke 17, ten lepers cry out to Jesus from a distance, desperate for healing. Moved by compassion, Jesus instructs them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they obey and walk away, a miracle happens: they are completely cleansed of their disease.

Yet, what happens next reveals a profound truth about human nature. Out of the ten who were healed, only one turned back. Luke 17:16 tells us that this man fell down on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks—and he was a Samaritan.

Choosing to Turn Back

All ten men received the physical miracle of healing, but only one returned to acknowledge the Source. The Samaritan man didn’t just celebrate his newfound freedom; he prioritized the Giver over the gift. He was so overwhelmed by gratitude that he threw himself at the feet of Jesus in public worship.

Having received God’s love, grace, salvation, and all His spiritual benefits, we must never forget to thank Him. What He has done for us should cause us continually to approach Him with grateful hearts. The Samaritan’s response reminds us that true faith is always marked by gratitude. When we realize the depth of what we have been saved from, thankfulness becomes our natural response.

Living a Life of Continuous Praise

Gratitude is more than a polite gesture; it is an act of spiritual alignment. It shifts our eyes away from our problems and fixes them securely on the goodness of God. Scripture reminds us in 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.” In the same way, we give thanks because He first poured out His grace upon us.

When we develop a habit of turning back to thank Him, we find that our perspective changes. We stop taking His daily mercies for granted. The breath in our lungs, the peace in our hearts, and the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ are all overwhelming reasons to live in a state of constant thanksgiving. Let us not be like the nine who walked away to enjoy their blessings without a word to the One who gave them. Instead, let us choose the path of the one who returned to fall at His feet.

A Closing Prayer for a Thankful Heart

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the endless blessings, love, and grace You pour into our lives every single day. Forgive us for the times we take Your goodness for granted, or when we are quick to ask for help but slow to offer our praise.

We thank You for the ultimate gift of salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ, and for the spiritual benefits that sustain us. Help us to cultivate a heart like the Samaritan leper—a heart that pauses, turns back, and falls at Your feet in profound gratitude. May our lives be a continuous offering of thanks to You, reflecting the love You first showed us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. FAITH / LUKE 17:6
2. IF HE REPENTS FORGIVE / LUKE 17:3
3. MILLSTONE TIED AROUND HIS NECK / LUKE 17:2
4. THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS / LUKE 16:19-31
5. COMMITS ADULTERY / LUKE 16:18
6. PHARISEES … LOVED MONEY / LUKE 16:14
7. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY / LUKE 16:13
8. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TRUSTWORTHY / LUKE 16:11
9. WORLDLY WEALTH / LUKE 16:9
10. COMMENDED THE DISHONEST MANAGER / LUKE 16:8
11. BECAME ANGRY / LUKE 15:28
12. THIS SON OF MINE … WAS LOST / LUKE 15:24
13. WHILE HE WAS STILL A LONG WAY OFF – HIS FATHER SAW HIM AND WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION / LUKE 15:20
14. HE CAME TO HIS SENSES / LUKE 15:17
15. SET OFF FOR A DISTANT COUNTRY / LUKE 15:13
16. SEARCH CAREFULLY UNTIL SHE FINDS / LUKE 15:8
17. REJOICING IN HEAVEN / LUKE 15:7
18. THE LOST SHEEP / LUKE 15:4
19. THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP / LUKE 14:28-33
20. CARRY HIS CROSS / Luke 14:27
21. DOES NOT HATE HIS FATHER / LUKE 14:26-27
22. THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET / LUKE 14:15-24
23. EXALTS HIMSELF … HUMBLED / LUKE 14:11
24. SUFFERING FROM DROPSY / LUKE 14:2
25. THE LORD’S GREAT SORROW / LUKE 13:34
26. LAST WILL BE FIRST / LUKE 13:30
27. THE NARROW DOOR / LUKE 13:24
28. THE YEAST / LUKE 13:21
29. MUSTARD SEED / LUKE 13:19
30. THIS WOMAN … SATAN HAS KEPT BOUND / LUKE 13:16
31. CRIPPLED BY A SPIRIT / LUKE 13:10-11
32. FIG TREE CUT IT DOWN / LUKE 13:6-9
33. I HAVE CAME TO CAST FIRE … DIVISION / LUKE 12:49-51
34. BEATEN WITH FEW BLOWS / LUKE 12:47-48
35. MY MASTER IS DELAYED / LUKE 12:45
36. FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL MANAGER – SERVANT / LUKE 12:42-48
37. WHEN YOU DO NOT EXPECT HIM / LUKE 12:40
38. IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THOSE SERVANTS / LUKE 12:38
39. WAITING FOR THEIR MASTER /LUKE 12:36
40. DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE / LUKE 12:35-40
41. YOUR TREASURE … YOUR HEART / LUKE 12:34
42. SELL YOUR POSSESSIONS / LUKE 12:33
43. SEEK HIS KINGDOM / LUKE 12:31
44. HOW MUCH MORE VALUABLE / LUKE 12:24
45. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE / LUKE 12:22
46. GUARD AGAINST GREED / LUKE 12:15
47. BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 12:10
48. HE WHO DISOWNS ME / LUKE 12:9
49. ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN / LUKE 12:8
50. FEAR HIM / LUKE 12:5
51. HYPOCRISY / LUKE 12:1
52. WOE TO YOU / LUKE 11:42
53. YOUR EYE IS THE LAMP OF YOUR BODY / LUKE 11:34
54. SEVEN OTHER SPIRITS … LIVE THERE / LUKE 11:26
55. WHO IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME / LUKE 11:23
56. DEMONS … THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 11:20
57. GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK / LUKE 11:13
58. GIVE HIM A SNAKE / LUKE 11:11
59. ASK … SEEK … KNOCK / LUKE 11:9
60. OUR DAILY BREAD / LUKE 11:3
61. THE LORD’S PRAYER / LUKE 11:1-4
62. ONE THING IS NEEDED / LUKE 10:41-42
63. THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN / LUKE 10:30
64. LOVE THE LORD AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR / LUKE 10:27
65. THE WISE … LITTLE CHILDREN / LUKE 10:21
66. DO NOT REJOICE / LUKE 10:20
67. SNAKES AND SCORPIONS / LUKE 10:19
68. I SAW SATAN FALL / LUKE 10:18
69. HEAL THE SICK … THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 10:9
70. LAMBS AMONG WOLVES / LUKE 10:3
71. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL
72. SENT THEM TWO BY TWO / LUKE 10:1
73. LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD / LUKE 9:60
74. REBUKED THEM / LUKE 9:55-56
75. THE PEOPLE DID NOT WELCOME HIM / LUKE 9:52-53
76. UNBELIEVING GENERATION / LUKE 9:41
77. THE TRANSFIGURATION / LUKE 9:29
78. SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 9:27
79. ASHAMED OF ME / LUKE 9:26
80. WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE / LUKE 9:24
81. TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY / LUKE 9:23
82. WARNED THEM NOT TO TELL / LUKE 9:21
83. FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND / LUKE 9:12-17
84. HEROD THE TETRARCH / LUKE 9:7
85. PREACH THE KINGDOM … HEAL THE SICK / LUKE 9:2
86. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT ALL DEMONS / LUKE 9:1
87. DON’T BE AFRAID JUST BELIEVE / LUKE 8:50
88. TOUCHED HIS CLOAK / LUKE 8:44
89. A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN / LUKE 8:27-33
90. MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS / LUKE 8:21
91. WHOEVER HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE / LUKE 8:18
92. CHOKED BY LIFE’S WORRIES / LUKE 8:14
93. BELIEVE FOR A WHILE … FALL AWAY / LUKE 8:13
94. TAKES AWAY THE WORD / LUKE 8:12
95. PARABLE OF THE SOWER / LUKE 8:5
96. PARABLE / LUKE 8:4
97. HELPING TO SUPPORT THEM / LUKE 8:3
98. SHE LOVED MUCH / LUKE 7:47
99. WEEPING / LUKE 7:37-38
100. WISDOM IS PROVED RIGHT BY ALL HER CHILDREN / LUKE 7:35
101. GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD / LUKE 7:34
102. JOHN / LUKE 7:28
103. A REED SWAYED / LUKE 7:24
104. HIS HEART WENT OUT TO HER / LUKE 7:13
105. SUCH GREAT FAITH / LUKE 7:9
106. DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY / LUKE 6:46
107. HIS HEART / LUKE 6:45
108. GIVE / LUKE 6:38
109. DO NOT JUDGE / LUKE 6:37
110. DO NOT STOP HIM FROM TAKING YOUR TUNIC / LUKE 6:29
111. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES / LUKE 6:27
112. WOE TO YOU WHEN ALL MEN SPEAK WELL / LUKE 6:26
113. WOE TO YOU WHO ARE RICH / LUKE 6:24
114. HOW THEIR FATHERS TREATED THE PROPHETS / LUKE 6:23
115. WHEN MEN HATE YOU / LUKE 6:22
116. YOU WHO WEEP / LUKE 6:21
117. BLESSED YOU WHO ARE POOR / LUKE 6:20
118. SERMON ON THE PLAIN / LUKE 6:17-19
119. SPENT THE NIGHT PRAYING / LUKE 6:12
120. JESUS AND THE SABBATH / LUKE 6:2-10
121. SABBATH / LUKE 6:1
122. ‘THE OLD IS BETTER’ / LUKE 5:39
123. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / LUKE 5:37
124. IN THOSE DAYS THEY WILL FAST / LUKE 5:35
125. EAT AND DRINK WITH … ‘SINNERS’ / LUKE 5:30
126. SON OF MAN / LUKE 5:24
127. JESUS KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THINKING / LUKE 5:22
128. CARRYING A PARALYTIC / LUKE 5:18
129. THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT / LUKE 5:17
130. PRAYERS OF JESUS / LUKE 5:16
131. YOU WILL CATCH MEN / LUKE 5:9-10
132. HEALED THEM / LUKE 4:40
133. AN EVIL SPIRIT / LUKE 4:33-35
134. HIS MESSAGE HAD AUTHORITY / LUKE 4:32
135. HE HAS ANOINTED ME / LUKE 4:18-19
136. THE SPIRIT ON ME / LUKE 4:18
137. SATAN’S USE OF SCRIPTURE / LUKE 4:10
138. THE DEVIL / LUKE 4:9
139. THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD / LUKE 4:5
140. DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE / LUKE 4:4
141. JESUS FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 4:1-2
142. JESUS’ GENEALOGY / LUKE 3:23
143. HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDED ON HIM / LUKE 3:22
144. HE WILL BURN UP THE CHAFF / LUKE 3:17
145. BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 3:16
146. FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE / LUKE 3:8
147. BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE /LUKE 3:3
148. CAESAR … PILATE … HEROD / LUKE 3:1-2
149. JESUS GREW IN WISDOM / LUKE 2:52
150. I HAD TO BE IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE / LUKE 2:49-51
151. THE CHILD GREW / LUKE 2:39-40
152. ANNA … WORHIPED / LUKE 2:36-38
153. A SWORD WILL PIERCE YOUR OWN SOUL / LUKE 2:33-35
154. RIGHTEOUS AND DEVOUT – WAITING FOR THE CONSOLATION / LUKE 2:25-32
155. A PAIR OF DOVES / LUKE 2:24
156. PRESENT HIM TO THE LORD / LUKE 2:22-23
157. THEY SPREAD THE WORD / LUKE 2:17-18
158. A SAVIOR … CHRIST THE LORD / LUKE 2:11
159. THE NATIONS YOUR INHERITANCE / PSALMS 2:8
160. A MANGER / LUKE 2:6-7
161. HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS / LUKE 1:68-75
162. GOD MY SAVIOR / LUKE 1:46-47
163. AS YOU HAVE SAID / LUKE 1:38
164. THE HOLY ONE / LUKE 1:34-35
165. HIS FATHER DAVID / LUKE 1:32-33
166. YOU WHO ARE HIGHLY FAVORED / LUKE 1:28
167. PLEDGED TO BE MARRIED / LUKE 1:26-27
168. SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH – THE FATHERS OF THEIR CLILDREN / LUKE 1:17
169. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT – WINE FERMENTED DRINK / LUKE 1:15
170. UPRIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD / LUKE 1:6
171. DIVISION OF ABIJAH DESCENDANT OF AARON / LUKE 1:5
172. THEOPHILUS / LUKE 1:1-4
173. Crews N Away: Anchored in Grace

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace