On Giving Thanks
And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. 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? 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." [Luke 17:12-19]
Today God answered a prayer of mine. I feel so humbled by the response that I fear that I am not as thankful as I need to be. The above story reminds me that people who were given their request by Jesus to be cured of leprosy forgot to say "Thank You" to the God who healed them. How could that be? I fear the ratio of 1:10 probably applies to many of us today.
My daughter, Rachel, suffered a traumatic brain injury due to a strep infection in August. She had to have part of her skull removed and she came very close to dying. She lost some vision before the surgery. We had hoped that her vision might be restored following the surgery; but, to date she continues to suffer loss of peripheral vision on the right side. Two days ago the opthamologist she visited told her that the vision was so impaired that she would never drive again. The reality of that diagnosis came crashing in on her. As a mother of a 10 month old who lives on the outskirts of the metropolitan Detroit area, not being able to drive was a crushing blow. I specifically prayed and asked God, that if were His will for her life, to restore her vision so that she could at least pass a driver's test and be able to drive again. But, I also prayed that if she could not drive, that He would use her blindness for the sake of the kingdom. I really felt like I put this one request front and center.
Today Rachel visited with a neuro-opthomologist at the Henry Ford Medical Institute in Detroit to get a second opinion. She had called yesterday and they just happened to have had an opening this morning. She called me late morning and I could hear the excitement in her voice. This doctor told her that it might take months, and special therapy, but that in his opinion, he thought she could qualify to pass the Michigan's driver's test to get a driver's license! God is so good!
I know that not all of our requests are so dramatically answered in such short time. However, I want to fall down at the feet of Jesus and say "Thank you Lord for your gift of healing". How does one say "Thank You" to God? I think it is by doing His will and loving God first and your neighbor second. It sounds so easy. Yet 9 out of 10 lepers failed to say "thank you" after experiencing a miracle. We all experience miracles of birth, healing and answered prayers every day. Learning to live life in appreciation and gratitude is the way to obtain joy and celebration. Tonight I am celebrating an answered prayer. Blessed is the name of the Lord!
Labels: Giving Thanks, Luke 17:12-19;
posted by Bradford L. Stevens @ 11:15 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I am excited Rachel will be able to drive again. However, my theology is a bit different. I am thankful to God in ALL circumstances. Sight or no sight, God is good...period. If we had no other gift from God except his grace, it would be enough. In fact, God said, "my grace is sufficient." My theology does not allow me to pick and choose what might be a miracle from God and when He is silent. I know many faithful Christians who pray fervently yet seem to always be in the midst of tragedy. My personal opinion is that God's job is not to manipulate the world so everything runs smoothly for us. Most people read John’s narrative about the sick man at the pool in Bethzatha and say, "PRAISE THE LORD, JESUS HEALS!!!!" I read Johns words and say, MOST people he didn't heal." Jesus walks by the pool with dozens if not hundreds of sick people (some blind) and heals one. So most He doesn't heal. What’s the point...It's a big one. Jesus didn't come to heal. The gospel is NOT about how comfortable your life is. It's about putting your faith and trust in a man named Jesus, who never had a home, who didn't have many possessions and who suffered his entire life. More is learned about what it means to be a follower of Christ when we are blind as opposed to having sight...Just ask Paul.
Mr. Stevens.
I am a friend of Klint and Rachels from Highland in Abilene. My family was honored and blessed to have them as a part of our small group. I have been incredibly humbled and immensely blessed by the depth of the trust and faith you place in the name of Jesus! It is no wonder why you have such a beautiful daughter and son-in-law. May God continue to open the storehouses of his blessing and shower you and your precious family with every good thing under Heaven. Be blessed, and amen to Klint's comment!
I concur with Klint's observations that Jesus's purpose was not just to heal. His miracles attested to his authority as a prophet and not to his revelation of his diety. Yet, his teaching is to ask, in the name of the Father, what our hearts desire within the framework of the kingdom of God. I was fully prepared to accept the limitations of Rachel's recovery. Yet, as her father, I heard how much she wanted to be able to drive so she could fulfill her role as a mother, wife and servant within the kingdom. I was even thinking how we could get her an account with a local cab company so she could do those same things. I wondered if that were to happen whether Rachel would share the good news with some cab driver and that would be part of God's plan? But, I did earnestly pray, that if be God's will, that he would grant her the recovery to pass a driver's license test in Michigan. The swift answer to that request was, in my heartful subjective opinion, a direct answer to my prayer. There is something inside of us that simply reverberates when those things happen. There have been many petitions in the past that seemingly have gone unanswered. But, I am convinced that the answers are simply not visible to my limited sight. Jesus told his disciples to have spiritual eyes and spiritual ears. Grace is always sufficient; but, that does not mean that we don't bother to petition our heavenly father with our cares and concerns. I think our journey through life becomes a testimony of faith when we share how God interacts in each of our lives. In the end, that really is good news!
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