Good day dear friends.
Please hold Art Amey in your prayers. Art was in ER for several hours suffering from dehydration. He received some IVs and was sent home. Gloria reports he is doing better.
We continue to affirm that Christianity does NOT stifle personal freedom.
Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: In Luke 17:11-19, there is a story about ten men in a dire situation with their health. They all come to ask from Jesus for their healing. Of the ten, nine are Jews, one is not. Of the ten, who did receive their request, only one thanked him. And that one person was not a Jew. What are your thoughts on this healing and personal freedom?
Here is that passage from Luke 17:11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him--and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
To be ill with a disease such as the one mentioned is to be imprisoned by it. To have leprosy was to have a life sentence away from civilization. No human contact, at least with "clean" people. Life among the tombs until your own death as we've read about other lepers. To cry out to Jesus was their choice and perhaps the only chance. And even then, reread what they said. They didn't ask for mercy directly, just pity. Jesus knew what they meant and what they needed and so tells them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." Such was the power of Jesus and the faith of these lepers that they start going. Jesus didn't touch them and healed them that way. Their healing came through the spoken word and from the action they took in directing their feet towards their priests. They were now free! Jesus had indeed had pity on them and they were now whole. Notice what Jesus noticed. Of the ten who received healing, only one returned to Jesus to thank Him. You see, their healing came with every step they took towards home. And after so many steps it may have been some started running towards home, towards life and freedom, and the joyful reunion they expected to have with their family. Only one as he took that last healing step, did he stop and turn around and head back to the Source of his healing.
Christ did not take away the healing from the other nine. His love is greater than ours. But He did rejoice in the thankfulness of that one person, and to him Jesus adds, "Your faith has made you well." Of the ten, this man's freedom, though he was not of the Jewish faith or race, allowed his faith and body to be made well.
How do you receive blessings from God? Do you think, "I deserve this, after all I am a Christian!"? Or do you think, "It's about time! I've been praying all this time and You finally got around to me!"? Or do you say, "Thank you, God."? It's your choice. You have the freedom to do what you want. But if you belong to Christ, use your freedom to grow in your faith by returning to God what is God's.
PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit to my heart. Make me be thankful and worshipful of God in all things, especially in answered prayers. I pray in the Name of He who brings me freedom, Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
