(picture by Bill Hoover)

January 8, 2016

“Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy 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. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19

Ten lepers see Jesus coming into their village – and standing far off, as the lepers were required to do, they implore Jesus “Have mercy on us!” Looking at them, Jesus tells them “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And they ran off – and while they were running, they were healed.  It is a wonderful story of healing, but a different and truly unique story of healing. Jesus does not lay his hands on them, nor does he pray over them. He simply tells them to go, and they do, and while they are leaving for the Temple, they are healed. It is a healing of absence – it is absent of details, it is even absent of the presence of Jesus. It is unique in the healing stories of Jesus. But then the story takes a turn – for as they recognized that they were healed, only one of them, only one of the ten returns to Jesus to say “Thank you” (he actually drops to his knees and praises G-d). And Jesus says “Where have the others gone?”  As you are embarking on the effort to read the bible daily, you may have linked up with another person – or maybe several people – because there is strength in numbers. Having others to join you keeps you all honest, and focused, and on track. But, maybe some have already dropped out, and given up. And you are wondering, like Jesus, “Where have the others gone?”

Not everyone is able to do the right thing — the right thing being staying connected to Jesus, the Word made flesh. While ten may begin the journey, coming to read about Jesus every day, there will be times where you find yourself alone – feeling abandoned. Or, maybe you just feel as if Jesus is absent in this process. If you have promised yourself you are going to read the bible daily this year, you have embarked on a difficult and enriching journey. You may have started with company, and now you are alone in the forest that is G-d’s word. Often the things that are worthwhile doing are difficult – and as you know, it is in the process of the journey that we discover more about ourselves than we imagined we might ever learn. Stay engaged – stay in the journey – or as basketball coach Jim Valvano famously said “Don’t give up – don’t ever give up”.
Pastor Dave