Focus

Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word.

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Read

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Reflect

Jesus healed 10 men with leprosy. One came back to give thanks. Jesus questioned, “Ten men were healed; where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17 ERV)

Am I one of the nine?

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus purposely came to meet the 10 lepers. He deliberately cut through Samaria, where devout Jews would go many extra miles to avoid traveling through that hated land. When Jesus heard the 10 men shouting for help, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” They believed and went. The Bible says, “While the ten men were going to the priests, they were healed” (Luke 17:14 ERV).

The miracle happened. If I were one of them, I would go show the priest my healed body. Jesus’ word is the power of healing. But healing will happen only when man responds. How many times did we miss a miracle because of our slow or no response?

When Jesus saw the only one who came back to give thanks was a Samaritan, he was disappointed. “This man is not even one of our people” (Luke 17:18 ERV). He was expecting the others. Jesus gave the one who returned the jackpot saying, “You were healed because you believed” (Luke 17:19 ERV). This “healed” was not only from leprosy like the other nine. He was healed and free from sin with eternal life.

So often, we give thanks when the illness is healed; trouble is solved; business is good; prayers are answered. We forget to thank God for the basics like waking up every morning, families and friends around, jobs, fresh air, sunshine, rain, and storms. When Jesus fed the 5,000 from 5 loaves and 2 fish, He said to them, “You are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied” (John 6:26 ERV).

Are we one of the 5,000 following Jesus only aiming for bread? We can receive the God-sized answer that is Jesus Himself. When we have Jesus, we have everything. As Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

 

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Pray

Lord, help us to feed on bread that doesn’t leave us empty. Give us the bread of life! Amen

Go with God!