Article April 30, 1979 Issue

Am I really grateful?

ERIC HOWARD PAGE

Have you ever asked yourself this question? And have you ever wondered what it means to be really grateful?

For a start we might consider how important this attitude is. If we receive a present, or if something is done for us, it's natural and right to say "thank you." Genuine appreciation is a healing agent, too, and usually we find that when there is no gratitude, or not enough of it, healing will be delayed or not experienced at all.

In the Old Testament we often find expression of gratitude to God for blessings. Moses and his people sang of God as their "strength and song," who had become their "salvation."^{Ex. 15:2;} David is recorded in I Chronicles as blessing God for His greatness and power. Solomon also was among those who expressed their thanks to God. And then in the New Testament, of the ten lepers healed by Jesus, one of them "turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God."^{Luke 17:15;}