A 10% Return…
Ten were healed.
All lepers.
Their skin ulcerated…issuing a foul discharge.
At its worst, the disease would have left them, as described by William Barclay in his Study Bible:
Eyebrows gone.
Vocal chords thinning, leaving a raspy/hoarse voice.
Nerve endings numb (which in many cases left them with missing fingers or toes)…
Eyes glazed over & staring.
Muscles wasting away.
Progressively dying.
Shunned by society.
The ten had come seeking Jesus, and found Him along the road, traveling somewhere between Samaria and Galilee.
They kept their distance, as was the Law.
But, despite the difficulty in talking, they cried out for compassion…mercy…help…an answer to their most difficult prayer (ten voices are more easily heard than one)…
They’d, no doubt, heard the stories of Jesus healing other lepers…
I don’t know if they expected the response they received, but they listened (and, they did EXACTLY what He said):
“Go and show yourselves to the priests (Luke 17:14a).”
The outcome exactly as they’d hoped…
“And as they went they were cleansed (Luke 17:14b).”
Ten were healed.
Ten received answered prayer.
“One returned to Jesus when he saw that he was healed (Luke 17:15).”
Just one!
With restored voice, he cried out with an exceeding large and loud voice, praising God, glorifying the Lord, extolling His name.
He recognized there was a GREAT WHO behind the answered prayer.
“He fell on his face at Jesus feet [in worship] – Luke 17:16.”
There is only one response to a GREAT WHO..
Humility.
There is only one realization in the presence of the GREAT WHO…
I have received what I could never deserve.
And there is only one fitting response to Him:
WORSHIPPING IN GRATITUDE.
“He gave Jesus his thanks (Luke 17:16).”
There’s so much more to this story…
For now, this is enough.
I am left to ponder.
Am I the 10%?
Or the 90%?
Do I get so caught up in the joy of answered prayer that I forget to turn around?
To fall at His feet?
To recognize the GREAT WHO behind every good and perfect gift?
We’ve set aside a day in America to give thanks during the coming month…
But, perhaps thanksgiving isn’t so much about setting aside a day…
As it is about remembering to turn around.
To return to the Giver.
To fall at His feet.
To recognize His grace.
And to say,
“Thank You, Jesus.”
So, over the next month…
May our words of thanksgiving be many.
May our hearts remain humble.
And may our recognition of God’s gracious gifts be loudly proclaimed!
May we be the ones who turn around.
And, that’s just a thought…
