Joshua 11:1-12:24
Luke 17:11-37
Psalm 84:1-12
Proverbs 13:5-6
Luke 17:14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
There were people that Jesus healed that did not have to do anything. In fact some people were not even in His presence and didn't even ask for the healing themselves. These 10 lepers called out to Jesus and asked for help. He didn't just heal them right away. They had to do something. They had to go. Before they saw any signs of being healed they had to take the steps in faith to go to the priests whom they would not be able to approach if they were still infected. Their healing happened with every step of faith that they took. Sometimes when we call out to God for something He tells us to wait, and sometimes He tells us to start taking steps of faith trusting Him to provide. Just as when Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan, He did not just part the water but first the priests had to step into the water in faith before the waters parted. So if you are hearing from the Lord to do something that doesn't make sense or seems premature, Go! Take the step of faith in the direction He is leading you and trust that He has a plan a purpose for it.
Luke 17:15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Then when it is all said and done don't forget who made it happen. Come back praising Him in a loud voice. Throw yourself at the Jesus feet in thanksgiving. And making sure everyone around you knows. I am greatly relating to the Samaritan today. The Samaritan was a foreigner who was already hated by the Jews but a Samaritan with leprosy should have guaranteed that Jesus would not even look at him. He knew how great a gift Jesus had given him. What a great gift he has also given me? A gentile polluted with sin. Sin that means I was to be separated from God like a leper. But when I cried out to Jesus in faith and began walking in that faith the walk that I am called to walk in God's word I am being sanctified (healed).
Psalm 84:4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
When we cry out to Jesus and trust Him to heal our sinfulness we can't just sit in that faith. We need to pursue Him and walk the walk that is laid out for us in the bible. Just as the lepers had to go the priests and show themselves, we are to dwell in the Lord's house. Which means we are to seek His presence and live in it and just as the Samaritan leper praised Jesus as we pursue His presence, we too will be every praising Him. The more we pursue Him the more we should be propelled to action. The book of James talks about faith and works.
James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Faith alone is all we need to be saved but if we are living in His house we should be driven to action and service.
Psalm 84:10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
That service may be something that the world would see as big and grand like a missionary or evangelist. It could also be what the world would see as insignificant like a doorkeeper but what the world thinks does not matter. It is better to be seen as insignificant in the eyes of the world but serve the Lord in whatever way He directs you than to serve the world and be lost to sin and the grave. What the world might see as insignificant is huge in the eyes of the Lord. Just think about how important it is to be the persons who ushers people into the presence of God. That is job of the door keeper and by walking the walk and shouting praises to the Lord we do just that.
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