Worship

“Thank You”  by Maverick City featuring Steffany Gretzinger and Chandler Moore

Scripture

“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.

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

“Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’” -Luke 17:11-19

Understanding Leprosy’s Impact

As they went, Jesus and His disciples encountered a group of outcast, suffering, and very sick lepers. I did a little research on leprosy. Dr. Allen L. Gillen writes:

“Its symptoms start in the skin and peripheral nervous system (outside the brain and spinal cord), then spread to other parts, such as the hands, feet, face, and earlobes. Patients with leprosy experience disfigurement of the skin and bones, twisting of the limbs, and curling of the fingers to form the characteristic claw hand. Facial changes include thickening of the outer ear and collapsing of the nose. … The leprosy bacillus destroys nerve endings that carry pain signals; therefore patients with advanced leprosy experience a total loss of physical pain. When these people cannot sense touch or pain, they tend to injure themselves or be unaware of injury caused by an outside agent.”

The Transformative Power of Gratitude

We see these 10 lepers who encounter Jesus, and somehow they knew Him. His reputation preceded Him, perhaps. There was an authority about this man, and they wanted His pity. In Jesus’ compassion, He has far more to give them than just pity. (It makes me think of how often I come into contact with a sick person and only extend them pity or compassion when I’ve got Jesus, who longs to heal them, living in me.) The Son of God, whose very presence and power comes with great authority, tells them to go. And AS THEY WENT, healing came to these 10 suffering lepers. One step of faith and then another step. Did they start getting feeling back in their nervous system? Did their bones begin to untwist or their limbs grow back? Perhaps they watched one another as the healing power of Heaven touched these 10 men. Can you even imagine the wonder in their eyes?

The story could have stopped here, and we would still marvel at the wonder of God through the life of Christ. But I believe the story hinges on one thing. The most catalytic point of this entire encounter is about to be made.

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.” -Luke 17:15-16 (ESV)

One physically healed leper comes back with a mouthful of praise and gratitude for the One who literally just changed his complete reality. The others were probably celebrating and testifying, but one came back to the source of his healing and, in total worship, fell at Jesus’ feet. Defying all cultural barriers, this Samaritan fell at the feet of a Jewish man! This whole story is hinged on this one moment of gratitude. It changed EVERYTHING for this one leper. Jesus wasn’t only going to heal him physically; He was about to heal his heart and make him whole. No longer would he be a leper or an orphan.

“And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”” -Luke 17:19 (ESV)

Jesus touched the man’s life just as he asked, but He had much more He could do in the former leper’s heart that would impact his eternity. This man had a heart that was positioned before God to touch and invade. It was his gratitude that set the table for God to come and dine. He left the presence of Jesus being forever changed! Jesus had so much to work with as it pertained to the man’s heart, which all hinged on faith and gratitude. He was rescued, saved, and made whole from this place of worship.

Walking in Faith and Gratitude

I had a defining moment back in 2013 as I sat with my pastor friend, Mike. I was metaphorically writhing in pain from a long season of hardship. I authentically shared the feelings of disappointment and disillusionment with God. He looked at me and said, “We don’t determine when our season of suffering ends. Look at the life of David as he was prepared to be king. You need to stop complaining and just praise Him and thank Him. Take the next 60 days, and do not ask for one thing. Just praise Him.” That is exactly what I did. I praised Him and thanked Him for every little thing. My perspective began to change; my family began to live and speak and create an atmosphere of gratitude. And hands down, I can tell you, this shifted the trajectory of our season. Gratitude was the hinge for us moving from one season to another. But more than that, my heart was set free!

So dear sister, no matter what disfigurement, suffering, hardship, or pain we are experiencing, we always have the choice to go back to Jesus and fall at His feet and praise Him. It becomes the very thing that changed everything (for eternity) for this one leper. Jesus delights in process, and He works on multiple levels of our lives. He wants our healing physically emotionally, mentally, and especially spiritually. He wants our wholeness, and He paid to provide it!

As you go, take one step of faith and then another. As you go, praise Him—fall at His feet in worship. As you go, you take the power and the presence of Jesus to dying and destitute people because you have more to give them than pity; you have the God of the impossible living inside of you!

A Prayer for Complete Healing

Jesus, I pray for the fire of Your presence to fall on my sister reading this right now. Lord, show her the places You long to bring healing to in her heart and life. You are roaring from Heaven on her behalf, that she would run in freedom and wholeness. So I pray for the gift of faith to believe You for impossible things. I pray for her mouth to be filled with praise for the One who her heart adores. I pray that You would free her from any lies the enemy has told her that “This is how it will always be.” Today Lord, I ask for You to release healing and wholeness to her heart, her body, her mind, her emotions, her relationships, her family. May this month of intimacy and encounter catapult her into all that is on Your heart for her. Bring it forth in fullness and victory, in Jesus’ name!