An Attitude of Gratitude
by Russell Kelfer
(Click the Play button to hear Russell read the poem)
They saw the Master passing by,
Surrounded by the throng,
In bleak humiliation,
They’d suffered for so long!
They were the nation’s outcasts,
Untouchables, they were.
And when they saw the Master,
Their faith began to stir.
At last in desperation,
Lest He should pass them by,
These ten unwanted lepers
Began their feeble cry.
“Have mercy on us, Master!”
And Jesus stopped and turned
And said, “Go now and show the priest.”
Their hearts must so have burned.
For as they racing went their way,
God’s power was revealed –
As they were yet returning,
All ten of them were healed!
And now a later setting –
Some time has come and gone;
And one man returns to Jesus;
The others have gone on.
This one on seeing he was healed,
Continued to repeat,
“I have been healed, oh thank You, Lord!”
And falling at His feet,
He simply worshiped Jesus
And pouring out his soul,
He heard the Master say, “Now go!
Your faith has made you whole.”
But still there echoes from the Word,
Throughout the age of time,
The Master’s penetrating words,
“Where are the other nine?”
One man had come with grateful heart,
His song of praise to tell.
But what about the other nine;
Were they not healed as well?
And do not we, ungratefully,
So often fail to say,
A simple, “Thank You, Jesus,
For what You’ve done today.”
Or better still, should we not be
In constant awesome praise,
Continually – for Who He is;
His Word, His worth, His ways?
Oh God, may we in love assume,
With naught but praise to give,
An attitude of gratitude,
So long as we shall live.
DTM Discipleship Tape Ministries
POB 782256, San Antonio, TX 78278
1-800-375-7778 or 210-226-0000
www.dtm.org • dtm@dtm.org • © Russell Kelfer
