Lessons from 10 Lepers

It’s Friday morning here in South Asia.  I am en route to visit a friend, while on the way to next week’s training.  I received 14 stories to do consultant notes for just before leaving the states, so am trying to catch time here and there to get the stories done before engaging in busy training next week!!

This morning, as I was checking one team’s story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers (Luke 17:11-19), I came across some questions and answers that I wanted to reflect on just for a few minutes.  These answers are from people who haven’t heard this story before.

Question: Why do you think the lepers asked Jesus help them?  Did they think Jesus could heal them?  Why do you think they thought Jesus could heal them?

Answer 1- They could not bear the sickness any longer and were searching who could heal so they heard about Jesus and believed in what Jesus said.

Answer 2- The last option could be Jesus.

It is interesting that these 10 lepers (according to how the listeners heard the story) had come to the end of their rope, and could not bear their sickness any longer.  They were out of alternatives.  They heard good things about Jesus, so, they thought, ‘why not, let’s give it a try.’  They may not have had any expectation of receiving healing from him, but he was their last hope.

I wonder about the areas of ‘leprosy’ in my life – those places that I need Jesus to heal.  The areas of my life that I have nearly given up on, or those attitudes that I really cannot bear any longer.  I realize that my first approach to dealing with some of these issues is not always to come to Jesus.  It is to try something in my own strength.  Realizing that fails me every time, I think I eventually do get around to Jesus.  But, even when I come to Jesus, my expectations of him are low.  Why?  Why is that?  Hmm.  Oh, that I would come to him FIRST.  And that I would come with great expectations of the One who holds the universe and has the cure for every illness- physical, emotional, etc. 

Of course, it would be one thing if I neglected to ask God for his intervention or had low expectations of Him.  It’s another thing to ask him for help, and then, after he gives it to not even say ‘thank you.’  Oh…just like the 9 lepers who do not return to praise and thank Jesus for their hearling, I too quickly I forget what He has done for me.

Another testing question and answer from the story:

Question- Why the other nine did not come back?

Answer-  As we also don’t remember the one who has done something good to us, and so also they too, after getting the healing, they forgot to go back and give thanks to God.

Father, forgive me when I look to myself to solve my problems.  Forgive me when I put limits on you with my low expectations.  Forgive me when I accept your good gifts without giving you glory and credit.  May I run to you first.  May I run to you with expectation.  And May I run back to praise and thank you when you have answered in your own way and time.