Monday Devotion + 11 October 2010

Luke 17:15-19 RSV 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. Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."

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This is the passage in Luke about 10 lepers who called upon Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus only tells them to go and show themselves to the priest. Obeying Jesus, they travel to present themselves before a priest and they realize they are healed. Only one returns praising God and giving thanks to Jesus at his feet. Are we to castigate the 9 who did not return to thank Jesus? No, they are only obeying Jesus' command to show themselves to a priest. Does faith have anything to do with being healed? No, for the 9 where healed by the Word of God in Christ Jesus. Faith has to do with responding to the power of God in our lives and recognizing everything comes from God. The Samaritan praises God and give thanks to Jesus. This is worship pure and simple; this is what we do as Christians when we gather together. We respond to all God has done for us and praise God; we give thanks to Jesus for going to the cross for us to forgive our sins. We are expressing our faith and trusting in God's guiding hand in our lives. We express our faith in the promise Jesus offer us to be with us always, even unto the end of the age. We express our faith, exercise our faith and live our faith through praise, thanksgiving and our worship together as children of God. Faith is given to us to be shared, when we share our faith with each other we grow stronger and deeper in our faith.

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We pray: Lord you have the power to heal us. We give you thanks for your healing presence in our lives. At times we fail to respond or recognize your healing presence, forgive our waywardness. Open our eyes to your presence with us. May we recognize your renewing and healing power in our lives - we praise God and give thanks to you, our healing and loving savior, Jesus Christ. In your Holy Name we pray.  Amen.