Dear Precious Friends,
On this beautiful new day, this gift from God, I pray you are embracing this gift with thanks to the Lord.
Our read a chapter of Luke a day on this 17th day of December, we are in Luke 17. Once again so many rich lessons. Jesus begins the chapter reminding the disciples if they feel it necessary to rebuke someone for their sin, we must forgive them.
We are also reminded of what Faith is... the disciples want to know how to have more faith... something we often want more of, and Jesus reminds the disciples that faith is complete trust and loyalty to God that results in a willingness to do His will. It is complete and humble obedience to God's will, being ready to do anything He calls us to do. It isn't the amount of faith, it's faith in our all powerful God.
We are reminded in verse 6 that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed. .. so tiny and small you can barely see it, if we have a small amount of genuine faith in God, it will take root and grow. ...
We are also reminds us that this faith results in healing and to remember to have a heart of Thanksgiving to our Lord for all He has done for us. He tells the lepers who ask for healing, , “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 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 17:14-16 ESV)
To paint a clearer picture for this verse, we must understand that Jesus, in his travels, came across ten men that had leprosy. Luke 17:12-13 tells us that although the afflicted “stood afar off” (as any with this disease would have during this time), it did not stop them all from shouting out to Him to “have mercy on us”, with regard to their ailment. Of course, because Jesus was involved, this would have been indeed a “divine appointment” that Christ was to keep, but this fact was surely unknown to these men.
These verses also allow us a chance to see the true heart of these ten that have been blessed by God. Now it is clear through these verses that ten men asked for “God’s mercy” to bring about a healing , and that ten men were indeed healed, and it is equally clear that only one realized the magnitude of what had been done…..and who it was that had the power to bring it to pass.
How many times have we solicited the Lord for a blessing, for a healing, for His mercy when in the midst of something that we thought could not be overcome; and by His grace and His mercy, He saw us through. Even in challenges which were a direct result of our own disobedience. And, in those times of His blessings, did it change our hearts, attitudes, motives and direction toward “True Repentance”, or did we give an obligatory” thank you Lord” with our mouths, but our actions proved that we were not truly thankful.
Last, we must every day be ready for His return. When He comes, all will know in an instant. We must not cling to this life but live for our Lord. While we see many signs in these days we are in, no one knows when He will return.
I pray we are all ready, we know Him, we live for Him and live our lives with joyful expectation of that glorious day. I also pray that all our loved ones and communities know Him and are ready for His return... There are no second chances and truly our reason for being here is that we are disciples making disciples as His last words to us reminded us before His ascension to heaven.... Acts 1:8... .“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
May we go out and be faithful witnesses today and every day, filled the Holy Spirit and gratitude to our Lord remembering why we are here and living this truth out.
AMEN!
