Every church has more needs than it can meet. It’s supposed to be that way because our trust and reliance are to be on the Lord. Our hearts are to be filled with compassion for the lost and hurting, and when we can’t meet their needs, we are to cry out to Jesus to meet them. When Jesus encountered ten lepers, He healed them all. Only one gave thanks.
LUKE 17:15-16
“Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.”
A Death Sentence
Leprosy is a horrible disease. It eats away at your skin and body parts until you die. Modern medicine has created a cure for it today, but it was a death sentence back in Jesus’ day unless God healed you. When Jesus encountered ten lepers along the road to Jerusalem, they begged to be healed. He told them to show themselves to the priest, which was custom for lepers to do when healed. One of the ten returned praising the Lord and thanking Jesus for healing him. Jesus asks why the other nine hadn’t come back and gave thanks.
Receive Everyone with Love
This story is another in a long line of people who use Jesus to get what they want and never return. It happens in the church all the time. Someone is down on their luck, going through a prolonged illness, or their marriage is on the rocks, and they come to the church looking for answers. Once things get better, they go back to their old life. Only ten percent remain and continue in their faith. It would be easy for the church to be judgmental and not minister to these people, but we are to receive everyone with the love of Jesus.
Only One Gave Thanks
What about you? Have you praised Jesus for the healing He has done In your life? Maybe you didn’t have some life-threatening disease, but His blood redeemed you. Your sins were taken away, and the love of Christ has been poured into you. Have you cultivated an attitude of gratefulness and thanks? You will find that it will do your heart some good.