This week, I took my older two girls (and my baby) to the National Gallery of Art for a special tour for homeschoolers. I had arranged care for my youngest daughter, packed lunches, fed them breakfast, and determined the best route via GPS. However, I wasn’t prepared for a few things that might upset our trip:

1) It was raining cats and dogs
2) this trip was to take place during my baby’s nap time – therefore, he cried the entire 25 minute ride to the Gallery plus the 15 minutes of time it took to find a parking place.
3) I forgot an umbrella
4) In my flustration (is that a word? If it isn’t, it should be), I started us out walking in the WRONG DIRECTION towards the WRONG MUSEUM. In the rain.

We had prayed on the way there that God would help us find parking, calm my baby as he was crying, help us find our group at the Gallery, and enjoy our tour.
Then my seven year old (Thank God she can read!) looked across the street and said, “Look, Mom! There it is! It says “National Gallery of Art.”

We headed into the museum and once we got settled into our group and I was able to nurse my baby, all was well in the world. We enjoyed the tour and even got free tickets for gelato at the end. We walked in the rain to the car (but no one complained) and arrived at our car just when the meter expired.

Once I got into the car and we headed in the direction of home, I told the girls that we should stop and give thanks to the Lord for answering our prayers. Even though things hadn’t began as we had hoped, we did in fact find parking, find our group, and have a great tour. It would be easy to sigh in relief and forget the frustration we had experienced only hours before.

Who Comes Back and Says Thank You?

This event in my week reminded me of a parable Jesus shares in Luke 17:11-19 about ten lepers who came to him crying out for healing. He healed all ten of them, but only one came back and thanked him, “praising God in a loud voice.” “Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?…Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” (vv 17-19).

It is easy to turn our attention and earnestness to Christ in the place of prayer when we are in need. When we are experiencing lack, suffering, or trial. But what about when He actually answers us? When the need is met, the person is healed, the food is on the table, the job is secured – do we turn back and thank Him for answering us?

Do we draw our affection and attention towards Him and pour out our thanksgiving upon Him? Do we let Him know that we are grateful? The needy often know a place of intimacy and dependency on God that the prosperous do not. Why? Scripture reveals this clearly again and again through the children of Israel. Hosea 13:6 is just one example of where this is revealed: “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

Let’s not be forgetful children, begging for a cookie and then, once it is given, running ahead full speed -all the while forgetting to kiss the one who made that cookie.

Let’s remember that God is the source of all good things in our lives and when He has indeed answered our cries for help, let’s not forget to thank Him.