George Washington knew the importance of being grateful to God for His blessings. He once said, “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.

Luke 17:15

Unfortunately, gratefulness is not high on many people’s priority list. Luke tells a story about ingratitude. As Jesus was traveling between Samaria and Galilee, He encountered ten men with leprosy. They called to Jesus to have mercy and heal them. Jesus granted their request and told them to go show themselves to the priest. On the way, the men realized they had been made whole, but only one man came back to thank Jesus.

While America receives great mercy from God every day, few citizens and leaders return thanks and show gratefulness to Him. Many take His blessings for granted. Are you sending up grateful prayers today? As you do, pray also for the nation’s leaders to cultivate a heart of thankfulness and lead by example.

Recommended Reading: Romans 1:16-25