Pentecost 18 — Grateful in Strange Lands

Grateful in Strange Lands

A short reflection based on Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 and Luke 17:11-19

Sometimes life takes us to unfamiliar, even unwelcome, places. The exiles in Babylon certainly felt this way – torn from their homes and forced to live among strangers. Yet God’s message through Jeremiah is stunning: don’t just survive – plant gardens, build homes, raise families, and pray for the city you’re in. In other words, bloom where you’re planted.

In Luke’s Gospel, ten lepers are healed by Jesus, but only one – a Samaritan – returns to give thanks. He was doubly an outsider: sick and foreign. Yet his heart was the one that overflowed with gratitude.

These stories invite us to a deeper way of living. When things feel uncertain, when we’re far from what’s familiar, God is still present. We’re called to participate in life, even in exile. To choose gratitude, even when we feel on the margins.

Faith grows in unexpected places. God invites us to root ourselves and seek peace, even when life feels out of place.

Gratitude transforms our view. Like the Samaritan, thankfulness can reframe our struggles and draw us closer to God.

Ngā mihi
Philip

p.s. Worship leaders: You can buy a complete Order of Service and Sermon based on these readings here: https://philipgarsidebooks.com/products/worship-at-hand-pentecost-18-12-october-2025