Prayer Journal
Thursday, October 26, 2000
Ten men approached Jesus on the dusty road between Jerusalem and Samaria. They didn't get close to him for these men were "unclean", having contracted leprosy. But all of them joined in singular chorus and cried out, "Have mercy on us, Master".
Jesus heard their cry, saw their desperation and had compassion on them. He simply told them to go and show themselves to the priests. Amazingly, we are told in Luke 17:14, the men were healed on the way to do that very thing.
One of the men, when he saw he had been healed, stopped and went back to thank Jesus. When Jesus saw the gratitude of this Samaritan, he pointed out to the disciples that nine of the ten did not come back. Jesus told the man to get up and go on his way for his faith had made him well.
What is not told us by Scripture is what happened to the other nine men. Every reader is left to his own conclusion. Some might think the nine who failed to thank Jesus "lost" their healing, but I doubt it. When Jesus speaks and we obey, we can be sure we have the blessing for our obedience, not for our expressed gratitude. In fact, I think the lesson to learn is that gratefulness is the overflowing joy that comes, not by the gift we receive but by the love expressed to us from the giver.
How could those men fail to thank Jesus for what he had done for them? Jesus' gift to them literally changed their lives and they would surely speak of that day for the rest of their lives. But aren't those nine like a lot of us? Having received such a precious gift as eternal life, do we constantly "show" our gratefulness and brag on the Giver to everyone we see?
"How can I say thanks for the things you have done for me. Things, so undeserved, yet you give to prove your love for me. The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to thee. To God be the glory."
Just Thinkin'.. WebServant
(1)" My Tribute" by Andrea Crouch
(2) Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society
(3) The images used herein were obtained from the Learning Company's ClickArt Christian Graphics Deluxe product, (c)1999 The Learning Company, Inc and its subsidiaries, 88 Roland Way, Novato, CA 94945 USA. All Rights Reserved.
