JESUS SPEAKING
Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So, when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was, that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell on his face at his feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So, Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Matthew 17: 11 – 19)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Leprosy is a debilitating bacterial disease that has existed for thousands of years; it causes fingers, toes, noses, and other extremities to rot away, horribly disfiguring its victims. Despite modern treatments, Leprosy remains highly contagious. Since the days of Christ, infected individuals have been ostracized; forced into isolated colonies beyond the city limits. When traveling, lepers were required to maintain great distances between themselves and those who were healthy. Upon entering a crowded area, they were obligated to yell out, “unclean, unclean,” as a warning for others to keep their distance. The lepers who approached Jesus stood “afar off,” and pleaded with Him to be healed. Jesus ordered the lepers to go and show themselves to the priests (In Jewish society, the priests were charged with diagnosing leprosy; if someone was healed, the priests had to examine them before they could return home to their families.) As the lepers journeyed, all ten were outwardly healed; yet only one was inwardly healed. Filled with gratitude, the filthy Samaritan returned to praise and honor Jesus Christ.
As the story goes, there once lived a prominent Physician who was also a devoted golfer. His longtime caddie had a club foot (a deformity in which the foot bends inward, making it difficult to walk.) ‘Doc Gordon,’ as he was known, often traveled south for the winters to continue his golf game. One winter, he decided to take his caddie with him; during their trip, the doctor operated on the man’s foot and he was made completely whole. Soon after they returned, the doctor became ill and passed away. One day, the caddie was carrying another member’s bag; at every hole he stopped to pluck a flower, until eventually he had gathered a very beautiful bouquet. The member was curious and asked the caddie about his new girlfriend. He replied, “Oh no, I don’t have a girlfriend. These are for Doctor Gordon. I go to his grave twice a week and place these flowers there.” Over his lifetime, Doctor Gordon had helped thousands of sick people; correcting many physical afflictions and uncomfortable ailments. Yet only one patient was truly thankful. The young caddie continued to praise and honor his deceased friend and benefactor because his heart was filled with gratitude.
Jesus Christ has given eternal life to every faithful soul and healed so many individuals around the world. Still, only those who express frequent gratitude have truly experienced a miracle. There are several ways to express our gratitude for God; we may offer prayers of thanksgiving and testify of His greatness. We may also gather together with other believers to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. We may continue to perform acts of service, charity, love, and mercy, etc. Gratitude is a fruit of genuine salvation; those who understand the value of what they have been given, honor and praise God every single day. (Note: If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please contact us and we can discuss how you can do that right now.)
“Lord Heavenly Father we praise You, we honor You, and we thank You for our salvation. We are unworthy servants, and yet You have loved us. Thank You for healing us and protecting us; thank you for Your kindness and provision. You are truly an awesome and amazing God. May our hearts be filled with gratitude; and may we be compelled to speak of Your greatness whenever and wherever possible. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!
Jesus Speaks 