Luke 17:11-19
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Remember Jesus’ lesson in Luke 17:5-10 about faith and obedience. Then read Luke 17:11-19 taking note of anything that stands out.
Jesus is never hampered by societal boundaries, and in this story he is literally pushing the boundaries right to the border between the Jewish region of Galilee and the Gentile region of Samaria. And when a group of lepers calls out to him, he doesn’t try to differentiate between Jew and Gentile. He gives the same instructions to all of them.
Imagine the scene for a moment: Jesus tells the lepers to go to the Jewish priests so they can be declared disease-free, and they are healed of their leprosy along the way as they obey him.
Sit with this image for a while. Is there anything in your life that needs healing? Is it possible that there are steps you need to take in obedience to Jesus?
Talk all of this over with Jesus.
Read Luke 17:11-19 again.
We don’t know how many of the lepers were Jews, but we know that the one who returned was not Jewish. Yet he did exactly what Jesus told him to do even though it was not his religious law that required it. He simply obeyed Jesus and was healed along with all the others.
But more was healed that day than just the man’s disease. This Gentile, fully restored in body and soul, ran back to worship the Jewish Messiah and gave glory to God. His faith, according to Jesus, made him whole.
Become still and let all your thoughts settle. Breathe in the name of Jesus and breathe out any anxiety or tension you are holding.
When you are ready, try to identify any areas of your life that feel incomplete or out of kilter. Share your thoughts with Jesus and then listen to him for a while.
What might Jesus be telling you about faith and obedience today?
What will you do about that?
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