November Gratitude E. Stone 7 Leper Lessons
Luke 17:11-19 There are so many lessons about gratitude in Scripture that together make a stone of remembrance.
I find the account of the 10 lepers to be so typical of most people today. We ask God for help all the time. We shout in our pain and in the worst of circumstances for his intervention. And then when He graciously gives it, we go on our way without even looking back. What is the matter with us? We give credit to someone else. We forget. We get busy. We deny how desperate the situation really was. We often take it for granted. We feel we are owed something. We deny there ever really was a problem.
God still, by His grace, and in spite of their lack of gratitude, healed their leprosy. He cleansed them and removed their disease (which is exactly what the priest would have been looking for). They experienced restoration. But, the one who came back got more! Jesus tells him that his faith has made him whole. Jesus says to this very thankful man who was willing to thank God before his circumstances changed and who worshiped God before He went home, that he was more than readmitted to society, he was saved and touched for the first time in a long time by a loving God incarnate.
If those 10 lepers were here I think they would tell us that they had to take a step of faith before they realized any change in their circumstances. They would tell us to pray. But they would also tell us we cannot wait until our problems are over before we start walking by faith; they trusted Jesus and took a step of faith before they were healed! The nature of God is that he will give you the opportunity to be thankful when nothing about your circumstances gives you motivation. The definition of faith is trust every day and not just the good days.
If that one foreign leper was here I think he would tell us that thanksgiving is a form of worship. He would tell us not to forget to praise (no matter what the answer). This one man came back and shouted his praise of thanksgiving! Further, he reversed his steps, put everything on hold and came back to the cause of his celebration. He would say praise results in God’s touch. He came back and got more than healing! He was blessed by the Lord! If you praise God offers more than you could ever ask for! Jesus is willing to lovingly touch you, bless you, heal you, hold you and restore you.
Thank you for your cleansing touch and for answered prayersÂ