So many of us think that God is an eternal vending machine that we just ask and ask and ask for things with no regard for the actual person of God. Ironically, the ones that most often recognize God's power and are grateful for it are the ones who seem to be least familiar with Him. In this passage, Christ heals ten people with leprosy. He doesn't do anything directly. He just directs them all to go and see the priest and along the way they are healed. Only one of them recognizes or acknowledges anyway the power of Christ in this situation and returns to praise God.
The Samaritans were social outcasts who were not allowed to worship in the temple. Theoretically, the would be the least familiar with God since they were not part of the chosen people, but in this case it was only the Samaritan that returned to praise God for his healing. The other nine, presumably Jews, all just continued on with their day as if God had just given them something that they deserved. They asked for healing, God gave them healing, end of story. They forgot that they were only healed at the discretion of the Lord and for His pleasure.
When we ask for things from God, do we expect that He will grant them simply because we asked? Or are we ever grateful for any mercy or grace that He dispenses upon us as the Samaritan was?
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