Don’t Just Settle for Healing
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole (Luke 17:15-19 KJV).
Our wholeness is determined by our thankfulness.
Have you started out to have a “usual” day, but something wonderful happened instead? Well, that’s what happened to the lady in this story! In Luke 17, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, and the Word says He “passed through Samaria and Galilee.” Though the Jews hated Samaritans, and likewise the Samaritans hated Jews, Jesus took His disciples through “enemy territory” many times. On the first occasion, Jesus asked a Samaritan woman of ill repute for a drink of water and revealed Himself as the Messiah she had been looking for. She brought so many non-Jews to Jesus that “the woman at the well” is forever remembered as the first missionary.
On this occasion, word of Jesus’ coming has reached the ears of ten lepers—both Jew and Samaritan. Dying by inches, limbs frozen and extremities missing completely, these rotting shells of human flesh dare to hope. They go in search of the Messiah and see Him in the distance entering a village. They cannot follow so they yell at the top of their lungs, “Jesus. Master, have pity on us.”
So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed (Luke 17:14).
Did Jesus come near? No. We do know the priests, by Jewish law, needed to confirm the leprosy healed. We also know these men were not healed instantly, but as they obeyed and started walking. A miracle for sure, but the best is yet to come!
One of the lepers, a non-Jew, stops in his tracks. Overjoyed and humbled, he turns back. The priest can wait! His grateful heart cannot. He runs to Jesus, shouts praises, falls to the ground in thankful tears at His feet, and gives God glory. In return, Jesus says, “Your faith has made you whole.”
It’s one thing to be healed and have the leprosy gone from your body. It’s another to be made whole. Because of his faith and his grateful heart, Jesus restores what this dread disease has taken—ears, fingers, toes, his nose—no longer missing. The man is returned to his pre-leprous state—complete with no scars or marks that he was ever diseased. Jesus redeems his timeline and He can do that for you as well.
When Jesus does a life-changing miracle for us, our wholeness is determined by our willingness to be truly thankful and appreciative. Praise, worship, and giving honor to King Jesus qualifies us for the upgrade of wholeness.
When it comes to redeeming time, find Jesus in that place you need redemption. Like the lepers, call out to Him to go into your past. Believe it is done though you don’t see or feel any change. I promise you, as you “go on your way,” you will suddenly notice a shift. Something will be different. Don’t ignore it. Acknowledge it no matter how small and praise Jesus for it. Thank Him and watch how He gives back the days the locusts have eaten (see Joel 2:25) or, in this case, the limbs the leprosy has devoured.
Healed or whole? It’s up to you. How much of your timeline will you believe Jesus can redeem? Prove it with praise!
I Declare in Jesus’ Name…
I am not healed or made whole by what I have done, but because of who Jesus is. He is my Redeemer.
Redemption is the heart of King Jesus. He is a miracle-working God who loves to make the broken whole.
I thank Jesus in advance for healing my heart and mind from. This curse is now a blessing even though I may not be able to see it.
All glory be to God for turning back the clock in my life. King Jesus, I thank You for Your blood that heals me and the power of Your Holy Spirit that fills me. I am truly whole because of Your great love.
