MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2025

The Nine and the One: Why Gratitude is the Highest Form of Worship

BY REV. OLUSOLA AND REV. OYENIKE AREOGUN

Introduction: The Misdirection of Glory

In a world that constantly seeks to take credit and celebrate the channel, the true mark of a believer is their unwavering dedication to glorify the Source. The concept of thanksgiving is often relegated to a polite, ceremonial addition to prayer—a quick ‘thank you’ tacked onto the end of a request. However, biblical truth reveals that thanksgiving is one of the highest, most definitive forms of glorifying God.

The story of the ten lepers in Luke 17:15–19 serves as an eternal, painful reminder of the human tendency toward spiritual forgetfulness. Ten men received a spectacular, life-altering miracle—they were cleansed from a disease that meant death and social isolation. Yet, only one, a Samaritan (a stranger, or outsider), returned. Nine received the blessing; only one gave the appropriate response.

Jesus’ verdict on the nine who failed to return was not a casual observation, but a profound theological indictment: “There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger” (Luke 17:18, KJV).

When you refuse to give thanks, you misdirect glory. You effectively attribute your blessing, healing, or preservation to luck, your own effort, or the mere mechanics of the universe. This is a theft of God’s due, and God is unequivocal: “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another” (Isa. 42:8, KJV). It is imperative for every believer to correct that theology today: honour God first, then thank men accurately “according to weight.”

1. Thanksgiving as the Devotee’s Distinction

The nine lepers were initiates—they knew the protocol, the law, and the requirement to show themselves to the priests. They were religiously correct. The one who returned was a devotee—he was a stranger, an outsider, yet he possessed the true spiritual insight to understand where the power originated.

A. Distinguishing the Cleansing from the Completeness

The miracle of the ten lepers had two stages:

Cleansing (The Miracle of Mercy): All ten were physically cleaned of their disease. This is God’s mercy—undeserved favor.
Wholeness (The Promotion of Faith): Only the one who returned in thanksgiving received the full, final benediction: “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” The Greek word for “whole” (sōzō) means more than just being physically cleansed; it means saved, preserved, and made complete.

Thanksgiving is Heaven’s pathway from cleansing to completeness. The nine were free of leprosy but remained spiritually stunted; they had their miracle but missed their promotion. The one had his miracle, and his grateful return propelled him into a new level of wholeness—a wholeness that filled up shortages, restored losses, and completed what began by faith.

B. The High Cost of Spiritual Smallness

As a pastor, the most painful sight is not the satanic attack but the saint who thanks God beneath the measure of mercy. They fell apart while the crisis raged, then boasted lightly when the answer came—more performance than gratitude.

Why do we withhold thanks or offer casual phrases that shrink great miracles into clichés?

Fear of Mockers: Some withhold thanks for fear of mockers or critics who do not understand the depth of the trial.

Pride: They boast lightly, wanting credit for their ‘endurance’ rather than God’s sustaining grace.

Forgetfulness: They immediately focus on the next need, making God a means to an end rather than the End Himself.

We must beware the spirit of Michal that sneers at heartfelt devotion; she mocked King David’s exuberant thanksgiving and entered a curse of barrenness (2 Samuel 6:16-23). Never intrude into another’s worship—you do not know the private wars behind public praise. Honour Heaven by letting your gratitude be as weighty as the deliverance.

2. The Imperative of Proportionate Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is not just a feeling; it is an action that must be proportionate to the mercy received. A great deliverance demands a great response. A monumental miracle requires a monumental acknowledgment. This is what it means to thank men “accurately according to weight” but to glorify God “first and fully.”

A. The Need for Precision: Name It

To ensure your gratitude is rightly directed, you must be precise. Refuse casual phrases that shrink miracles into clichés.

You must name what God did, what He prevented, and what He preserved:

What God Did: “Father, thank You for providing the specific $10,000 I needed for that debt.

What He Prevented: “Lord, thank You for preventing the enemy’s scheme to disgrace me publicly.”

What He Preserved: “Thank You for preserving my marriage, which the crisis threatened to destroy.”

When you name the specifics, you anchor the glory to God’s hand, making it undeniable that He alone is the Source. This precision is a testimony that builds your own faith and edifies others.

B. The Need for Posture: The Heart and the Body

True, weighty thanksgiving involves your posture—the words, the physical expression, and the spiritual intensity.

Words You Would Never Give a Man: Let your thanksgiving use language and adoration you would never apply to a human channel. Praise should be exclusively devoted to the King.

Posture That Moves You: Sometimes, thanks requires a physical demonstration—prostrating yourself, dancing, shouting, or simply standing in silent awe. Your body should be a willing instrument in your worship.

A Memorial Seed: A memorial seed marks the mercy. This is a gift, offering, or financial sacrifice that is proportionate to the deliverance received, establishing a permanent marker of gratitude in the spiritual realm. This act says, “Lord, this deliverance was so significant that I must give back a significant portion to honor You.”

C. The Priority of the Public Gaze

Do not fear the gallery; fix your gaze on the King. The Samaritan leper returned and “with a loud voice glorified God” (Luke 17:15). He did it publicly, before the crowd, before Jesus, and before the ungrateful nine.

Publicly glorify the Source through testimony, shouting, and sincere, visible worship. Then, honour the channels—the friends, pastors, or family members God used—with messages, visits, or gifts, as wisdom requires. The channel is blessed by your thanks, but the Source is glorified by your primary adoration.

3. Correcting the Misdirection: Three Practical Steps

To live a life defined by complete gratitude, we must actively dismantle the spiritual habits that lead us to misdirect glory.

A. Settle Who You Are Before the Father (Devotee vs. Initiate)

Your identity determines your worship. Are you merely an initiate—one who knows the rules and protocols of church, seeking blessings as transactions? Or are you a devotee—one whose life is devoted to the presence and glory of God, seeking the Giver more than the gift?

THOUGHT TO PONDER: Where have I misdirected glory to channels (my hard work, my doctor, my friend’s influence) instead of the Source (God’s grace, His healing power, His providence)?

Settle this today: your ultimate goal is not comfort, but covenant.

B. Cultivate a Culture of Prompt Return

The nine lepers simply continued on their way. The one who returned did so promptly. Delaying thanks cools the spiritual fervency of the moment and diminishes the spiritual return on the blessing.

When God does something for you—whether small (a safe journey) or large (a major provision)—pause immediately, acknowledge it, and commit to a weighty act of thanksgiving at the soonest possible time. This teaches your spirit the discipline of spiritual remembrance.

C. Embrace the Wholeness of Gratitude

The reward for the grateful leper was not just a passing comment; it was a promotion of his faith. The act of returning in thanks activated a deeper dimension of his faith, moving him from a state of mere healing to wholeness.

When you return glory to God, you open the door for Him to:

Fill Up Shortages: He replaces what the trial consumed.
Restore Losses: He brings back what the enemy stole.
Complete the Work: He finishes what He started, taking you from the first miracle to your ultimate destiny.

This is the promise that awaits the grateful heart: the peace, joy, and completeness that comes only when you know you are perfectly aligned with God’s will, giving Him the glory that is due.

Conclusion: Fix Your Gaze on the King

The battle over thanksgiving is a battle over glory. Every answered prayer, every deliverance from sickness, every provision, is an opportunity to prove your true spiritual allegiance.

What precise, weighty act of thanksgiving will I offer today so that God alone is glorified?

Do not fear the cost, the time, or the appearance of excessive emotion. Refuse to steal God’s glory. Let your response be honest, immediate, and proportionate to the magnitude of the mercy you received. As you glorify God in this way, expect the wholeness that only gratitude can activate.

PRAYER

Father, I refuse to steal Your glory or diminish Your great works. I return to honour You first and fully; help me give thanks that genuinely matches Your mercy and brings me into the experience of wholeness and completeness, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Jeremiah 35:1-36:32, 1 Timothy 5:1-25, Psalm 89:14-37, Proverbs 25:25-27

GIVING GOD HIS GLORY THROUGH THANKS