Today, I am running a devotional that my husband, Mike wrote for our Lent devotional. Enjoy!
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.
Luke 17: 11-19
Ten men—outcasts with no hope. Having been banished from the rest of society, their only social interaction was with other lepers. There was no cure for leprosy; they did not know of anyone who had been healed and returned to normal life. The disease would slowly eat at their bodies until death.
But wait…the news…someone with leprosy had been healed. Was it possible? Who is this Jesus? But he is a Jew; he would never come here, to Samaria. WHAT! Is that Him? No, it can’t be. Is it possible?
“Jesus! Jesus! Have mercy on us! Jesus! Over here!!”
“What…what did he say? Go to the priest? Really? Are you going?”
“I don’t know. Are you?”
“Well, Ok, I guess, what do we have to lose?”
“Wait…your face…my hands… We are healed!!!”
Every time I read these verses, the Geoff Moore song, “Where Are the Other Nine?” plays in my head. Convicted, I find myself wondering:
Surely I would be the one that returned to thank and worship Jesus.
Or would I? Would I be so overjoyed with my healing and new life that I thought I would never have, that my thoughts and gratitude would shift away from the One who made it possible? How quick am I to cry out to God when trouble comes, and how quickly I move on my way after the trouble is gone? When I do that, I may have experienced physical healing, but I miss the opportunity for true spiritual healing that occurs by taking the time to come back—to show true gratitude by not only thanking Him, but worshipping Him.
Lord, when You show mercy on me and my prayers are answered, please help me not to forget the source of that mercy. I pray that you will never be looking for me asking, “Where are the other nine?” Amen.