“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When he saw them, he said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed.”
– Luke 17:11-14
We’ve talked before about the plight of those suffering from leprosy in the ancient world. Unfortunately, after someone was declared leprous, they were forced to leave their families and live on the outskirts of town with others who shared their diagnosis. So grim was their lot that many saw no way out other than to die or receive a miracle. And this is where the story in Luke 17 picks up. Jesus was traveling from the northern country of Galilee south to Jerusalem, along the border of Samaria, which was sandwiched in the middle. On his journey, He passed by a colony of lepers who had clearly heard about His power to heal. From a distance, ten men cried out to Him, “Master, have pity on us,” or in other words, “Lord, make us well.” In response to this, Christ, though He heard them, did not stop and approach as He did in some other stories. He didn’t touch them or hug them — He simply gave them instructions to go and show themselves to the priest. He did this because any Jew known to be leprous had to be evaluated by the priest in order to be declared clean and admitted again into society. In this case, even though He didn’t provide any immediate physical evidence of healing, He prompted them to start moving forward in the faith that He would restore them along the way. And so it is with many things in our lives today. My friend, when the Lord gives you a promise, move forward as if it’s already come to pass. Even though you may not see any indication of change, surrender the outcome and let Him meet you in the process. He finishes everything that He starts, and He’s delighted when your confidence in His Word is so deep that you’re willing to start walking, despite not knowing exactly where the road will lead. If you trust Him to make good on His covenants, He’ll do the miraculous in your midst and use your faith-filled life to show His glory to both doubters and seekers alike. |
Prayer
Jesus, when you instruct me to go, give me faith and courage to respond without wavering.
Reflection
Like the lepers, if Jesus told you to go and show yourself to the priest, would you have started walking, even though you didn’t see any physical evidence of change? Why or why not?
If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.
One Response
Yes most definitely. I felt that. One night during Shabbat services at Temple Beth Am in Pinecrest. The Rabbi took me and my sister into a small room where the Ark of the Covenant is kept in a cabinet. He put his hands on my head and said a blessing. Right than and there. A sensation of warmth surrounded my body.I was miraculosly cured of cancer.It needed a CT scan to confirm it. I continually give praise to God for the many blessings in my life, Such as the love of many friends. A rock solid faith. A gift of a lovely voice to do whatever I want. And so many others. I hope and pray that the Hour of Power continues its mission of spreading the good news of God and his healing messages to all around the world. To the Schuller family. I pray that they are protected from Covid -19′. To the musicians and choir. Blessings and thanks for the glorious music and singing.To the worshiping community of Shepherd’s Grove at Irvine Presbyterian Church. Love Peace and Good Tidings. As always I remain a faithful viewer and Happy and Wholesome student in Jesus Christ. May God bless and protect our beautiful country. The United States of America from all forms of terrorism. Amen.God bless our President and his family. And also our Vice President and her family. Be not afraid. For God goes before you.To guard you on the right path.To his heavenly kingdom