READING: Joshua 14-17; Luke 17
They cried out for Jesus to help them, but only one returned to thank Him when He did.
You would have thought it would be different. Ten lepers dealing with some kind of skin disease. Nobody coming close to them, much less touching them. After all, they were ceremonially unclean in that culture. Jesus, though, heard their cries and told them to go to the priest. Their obedience was an act of faith, and they were healed along the way. It must have been amazing as they watched God make them whole.
Nevertheless, only one came back in gratitude, and he was a Samaritan, no less. Seldom would the Jewish people have expected a Samaritan to be the positive example in a story, but that was the case in this story. We don’t know why the others didn’t return. I suppose they had other things to do since they were now considered clean—like get new clothes, visit family and friends, and tell what had happened to them. Still, though, it was only to the one grateful Samaritan that Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you” (Luke 17:19).
In the midst of this ongoing coronavirus crisis, we still have much to be grateful for. Let’s not forget to run back to Jesus and thank Him.
PRAYER: “Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness to us. Forgive me when I’m ungrateful.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Joshua 19-21, Psalm 15, Luke 18
