In Luke, chapter 17, Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem and is met in a village by ten lepers who cried out asking Jesus for mercy.  Jesus cleansed them all, then one of them realized he had been healed and turned back praising God in a loud voice.  He then fell on his face at Jesus’ feet and gave thanks.  This man was from a foreign country.

This drawing is entitled “Christ Healing a Leper” by Rembrandt (1606-1669).

In verses 17-18, Jesus asks a series of questions:  “Were not ten cleansed?  Where are the nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except the foreigner?”  It was a huge thing for Jesus to heal those lepers.  They were outcasts from society because of their disease.  People thought they had leprosy because they had sinned.  No one came near them.  No one touched them.  So Jesus not only healed their skin disease, he also healed their isolation from the community.

So why did nine out of the ten run on down the road and never look back?  Was it that they were so excited to embrace their family and friends again?….to touch and be touched?  Or did they not yet recognize they had been healed?  Or did they not realize that Jesus was the one who healed them?  I wonder in all the healings that happen in our world, are the odds of one in ten turning back to give thanks about the same odds that exist today? Clearly Jesus was looking for gratitude…some recognition that he had touched them and healed them!  Lent is a good time for us to examine our own lives in respect to our gratitude for who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us.

In her book “The Cup of Life”,  Joyce Rupp writes these words about living our lives in gratitude….

I love her thought that the key to gratitude is surprise!  I think perhaps the one leper who gave thanks was joyfully and wonderfully surprised at his miraculous healing.

Pondering….

Let’s watch for surprises that awaken us to God!

nk

Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead.  In John 11:25-26  Jesus makes the statement, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, though they die, yet shall they live.  And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”  Then he asks the question, “Do you believe this?”

I was leading a women’s retreat when I witnessed a resurrection and new life.  The woman gave me permission to share her story.  We had completed a session in which we talked about the power of the risen Christ to bring new life.  I asked the women to draw a picture of brokenness.  When they had all completed their drawings, I then asked them to tear up their picture and with the pieces create a new picture of love. As I watched the women creating, the only sound was the tearing of paper.  For some it was painful and it took a long time to even begin to try to make a new picture of love.  When everyone had finished we had a prayer and adjourned for dinner.  As others walked away, one woman held back.  I could tell that she wanted to talk to me.  She could hardly wait to tell me what had happened!

The woman was probably in her 50’s.  She told me that when she was 4 years old her mother left and she never saw her again.  She and her two younger brothers went from one home to another, between two sets of grandparents and their father.  When their father remarried, they went to live with him.  She said, “All these years I have tried to forgive my mother but I couldn’t.  When you asked us to draw a picture of brokenness, my picture was a child with a sad face.  Above  it I wrote the word LOST.  As I tore up that picture, I felt the presence of Jesus lifting that burden off my shoulders.  In that moment, forgiveness flooded my heart.  I was finally able to forgive my mother.  From those broken pieces, I made a new picture of love….the child with the words written above her..HAPPY, NO LONGER SAD.”

I witnessed the resurrection in that moment!  I will never forget.  At the close of the retreat I took pieces of what the women had created and put them all together, making a collage in the shape of a cross….

I’ll close with a confession.   This retreat was the first event I had committed to lead following my retirement.  Even though it was on my birthday, I said “yes” because I was so excited about doing this.  However, when the time came and I was driving the distance to get there, I was almost wishing I had said “no”.  In fact, I was even thinking perhaps I did not need to do any more retreats!  But after hearing this woman tell me what had happened for her, I immediately thought,  “Perhaps I better rethink this retreat deal! ”  I am so grateful that by the grace of God, I had this opportunity to be present.  Indeed, I witnessed a resurrection!  Wow!  It was awesome!

Pondering….

Have you witnessed a resurrection?

Is there someone you want to forgive?

nk