Thanksgiving
And Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.” 2 Kings 5:15-17
It is good and right for us to express our thanks to others who have helped us or given us gifts.
But with every good thing that we receive it is most important that we recognize its true source: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17) Also, when we are on the receiving end of words of thanks it is right for us to accept them in humility and then to give glory to God as the source of all that is good.
Naaman the Syrian commander was healed of the disease of leprosy when he went and washed seven times in the river Jordan as the prophet Elisha had told him to do. But when Naaman returned to thank the prophet with a gift, Elisha would accept nothing from him. Naaman got the message. He understood that it was the one true and living God that had healed Him. It was to Him that Naaman owed thanks, which he intended to give by continuing to worship Him alone.
O God, our Maker and Redeemer, open our eyes to see You as the giver of every good gift, especially the supreme gift of life and salvation in Jesus Christ. Amen.