Someone said, "The glue to any relationship - is to say heart felt 'thank you' and 'sorry' whenever it is necessary." It is as simple as that. But many rather let go of relationship than to utter those words.

Once, Jesus healed ten lepers. But only one returned to say 'thank you'. Jesus said, " Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?" I am sure they all thanked Jesus on the spot over joy after the healing. I think what Jesus really meant, was, 'Did others truly feel grateful about the impact on their lives like this man, who doubled back to thank me again as an after thought?'

Another time, Jesus went into the house of a man named Zacchaeus, who was a tax collector for Rome, who habitually collected more money than what was required, so he could pocket them. He was hated by his own people. Zacchaeus was convicted of his malpractice at the presence of Jesus. He repented and promised to return to people four times what he had charged them. Jesus said to him, "Salvation has come to your house to-day." It was not the money which changed or saved him, but his attitude and heart toward what was right and wrong.

Having live long enough to know what relationship is and does, I think I understand why Jesus said those things.

Our approach to God is to be that of a 'relationship' in response to his ultimate love and sacrifice for us. Not as a religion. When we approach him as a religion, we focus on the outward performance, the attendance, the observance of rituals and how we appear to others. When God proved that it didn't work, he came in the person of Jesus to clearly explains to us that he looks into our hearts and weight our motives toward him and our fellowman. We cannot gloss over our intention and actions for the reason of loving God, then turn around, to hurt our fellowmen who are made after the image of God. God is big enough to defend himself and his creatures if he wants to. But often, he chooses not to for a while, until the fullness of time comes.

The Bible says, God gives rain (and many other things he provides through planet earth and people whom he put on our paths) to those who acknowledge him and to those who don't. If we are thankless, we are like the nine lepers, living the lives of  'Entitlement'. We miss the deeper level of healing in our psychic and spirit.  We carry on with pseudo relationships with God and men, not realizing the bottom will fall out some day.