Comings and goings
Opening Prayer
Thank You, Father, for all of Your goodness and love toward me.
Read Luke 17:11–19
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[11] Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. [12] 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!” [14] When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. [15] One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. [16] He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him-and he was a Samaritan. [17] Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? [18] Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” [19] Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What was the difference for the one?The ten “lepers” who stood at a distance and cried out for mercy would have been ten unclean people, barred from going to the priest unless they had become whole. So Jesus says: “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” It is really quite remarkable that the ten of them, according to verse 14, promptly did so. Did the ten realize they were healed before they got to the priests? Did the other nine notice, but figure that they were to go ahead and celebrate their cleanness with the very priests they had previously been barred from visiting? And did those nine grumble about the typically hopeless Samaritan who had run off back to the wonder-working Jesus rather than go ahead and do the proper stuff with the priests? But according to verse 18, turning back to Jesus seems to be equivalent to giving praise to God. Jesus had commanded the Samaritan to go to the priests (14), commends him for coming back to give thanks, and then tells him to “rise and go” again, celebrating his faith (18,19). There’s no sitting still in the kingdom, at this point.
Apply
God is welcoming us, in Jesus, no matter what our social status or physical problems or emotional struggles.
Closing prayer
Jesus, I am so grateful that You welcome me into Your presence and You make me whole.
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