December 1 – Ten Lepers – Luke 17
This chapter is full of great truths taught by Jesus, but we will only be looking at verses 11-19. Jesus was making Himself accessible as He was passing through Samaria on the way to Jerusalem. This should challenge each of us to look for opportunities to be encouraging and helpful to those around us at we go through our day. Healing ten lepers was not the main goal of Jesus that day, but as He made Himself accessible the opportunity to change lives arrived. Notice the lepers came to Jesus to ask for something specific, a healing of their leprousy. If we are going to gain lasting help, it will only come through Christ. Jesus told the lepers to act in faith by showing themselves to the priest, even before they were healed. As they acted in faith, their leprousy was healed. It is interesting to note that all of the lepers were cleansed, or the existing leprousy left their bodies; but only one leper was made whole. It does make me wonder if this leper may have had fingers, toes, a foot, ears, or nose missing from the effect of the leprousy as well as any scars that came. Because of the open thankfulness and gratefulness shown to Jesus Christ, this leper regained any lost fingers, toes, or whatever else prevented him from being whole as well as erasing any scars. Leprousy is likened to sin in the Bible. Sin takes things away from us and leaves scars in its place. I don’t know about you, but I do not just want to be cleansed from my sin; I want to get rid of the scars and be made whole! Let make an extra effort as we end a difficult year to run back to Jesus and be truly thankful to Jesus.
