LW Baptist

By Rolland Coburn

Pastor

Psalm 50:23 promises God’s blessing on those who thank him for their salvation. We sing, “Thank you Lord for saving my soul/Thank you Lord for making me whole/Thank you Lord for giving to me/ Thy great salvation so rich and free.”

We must experience the Lord’s goodness before we can open our mouths to thank and praise him, and we experience his goodness only by faith.

One day, the Lord sent 10 men seeking healing from a dreaded skin disease called leprosy to the priests to testify to Jesus’ credentials as the Messiah-Savior and his healing power. One of them, a non-Israelite and Samaritan, seeing he was cleansed, returned, fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, and with a loud voice was pouring out to Jesus his heartfelt thanks. His thanksgiving to the Lord was accepted as genuine, saving, faith in God’s provision in his son and therefore true worship, and the Lord gives him assurance of salvation, saying, “Rise, go your way; your faith has saved you.”

Jesus also observed, “Were not 10 healed; but the other nine, where are they? Were they not found to return to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”

As one author says, many unsaved “try to be thankful to God for temporal benefits, but their utter failure to appreciate the gift of his son leaves them most unthankful in his sight.”

God gives assurance to his people in Psalm 50:23, one that offers thanksgiving glorifies me, God says, and to him that puts his life in order—that is walking by faith, a forgiven and cleansed life, living as a true worshipper—I will show the salvation of God.

That is the greatest blessing: to know your sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake and to know you have a home in heaven forever. Yes, thank you, God, for our great salvation in your beloved son our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.