Lesson From A Leper

I'm trying this Thanksgiving and every Thanksgiving to not just take this one day to openly be thankful, but rather condition my heart to be thankful. When this day comes around don't we all of a sudden begin to think about our lives in relation to being thankful? And don't we often openly admit we are not thankful enough? I am one of those people. I wish my thankfulness were more evident. To me, it's a matter of heart. It's a matter of realizing what we have in comparison to what we should have. I immediately realize I am given way more grace than I deserve because I have way more than I need.

This weekend I encouraged my youth group to learn the lesson of the leper. The one leper who stopped, realized what Jesus had done by healing him, turned back and fell at his feet with thanksgiving. I'm speaking of course of the story in Luke 17: 11-19...

"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? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?' Then he said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'"

I look at these lepers who were unclean outcasts, filthy "foreigners" who stood at a distance begging Jesus to pity them - or show mercy towards them. My first question to myself is "How often do I beg for mercy?" The lepers had physical ailments - very visible ones - and I certainly have some spiritual ailments - not so visible. I look at these ten lepers and say: "I am spiritually unclean, rich with sin, but do I beg to be cleansed?" Do we beg to be cleansed?

As Jesus tells them to show themselves to the priests - to validate their cleansing - they all walk away and rejoice at what had just happened. Yet, one stops and had a moment. He had a moment that I want to have all the time. A moment of realization - as he looked at his hands and saw the renewal in his pores and the pigment in his skin, he is overwhelmed with thanksgiving. Underserved grace shown. While the other nine got a "freebie" and took advantage of Jesus - the miracle-worker - this one leper had his heart changed.

Am I one of the nine? Taking freebies from Jesus? Or Am I the one. Am I the one who stops, sees the grace, the restoration and falls down in thanksgiving. Do I have a heart ripe with thanksgiving? I am convinced this one leper did. It was his faith that made him well. His realization of who he was in comparison to God. I want to have that.

As we approach this one day to give thanks, let us remember this story of the one leper who stopped and wholeheartedly thanked Jesus for being made well. If we think about what Jesus has really done for us, I am convinced we will be like the one leper, not one of the nine. Let's stop, look our hands and see what God has really done for us...then fall at His feet with thanksgiving.

photo from neatnik2009

I Need to Pray More

It's something I think we can all say, "I need to pray more often." Our Abba Father, our Redeemer, our Savior is SO eager to hear our prayers, yet we fill our thoughts and ears with talk radio, ESPN Radio, 91X, or heaven-forbid good-quality-music! :) That's pretty much sums me up, especially while driving. That's where we're alone the most, don't you think?

I was driving to our church offices last week and following behind me was a young woman driving alone, and it was obvious she had tears in her eyes. For the next two miles through stop lights and all, she kept wiping her tears, putting her hands over her eyes (while waiting at the stop lights) and obviously emotionally hurting. I'm watching this all from my rear-view mirrors of course, but I could see enough to see her pain, her wrenched heart, her emotional agony. It really hit me.

As I witnessed this girl, my spirit stirred, the Lord spoke and told me to pray. I turned off my Smashing Pumpkins song, took a deep breath and prayed. What do you pray for? What is going on that I could ask for God's grace in her life? I had no idea. But you know what, I still prayed. I knew that she need grace from the Lord, she needed a spiritual comfort that nothing could bring her except Jesus. So I asked God to simply 'touch' her. "Just touch her Lord, with your love and your grace."

That hasn't happened very often, I'll tell you that. But it was a huge realization. Paul had something going on when he said, "Pray without ceasing." I remember studying this with Dan back in college. We found that Paul's intention was to pray from the state of not ceasing. If that makes sense. It's a state of being, of being in touch or communication with our Father. Do we consider this daily? Do we ask the Lord, "Give me ability to tune my thoughts/senses/brain/attitude to You"? Being in a constant state of prayer with Jesus... that's it.

The incident in the car was a sudden thing for me. (God give me grace,) I was listening when He asked me to pray for the young woman. But the conviction crept in, telling me that is how I should be always. To be in the state of prayer, always.

Hmmm.

I need to pray more...