As we conclude our journey through one day in the life of Jesus we find a leper who has been healed prostrate at the feet of Jesus loudly praising Him and thanking Him for healing him. Jesus asked this question, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine,” (Luke 17:17 NIV). As people looked around they observed that not one of them was present. I am sure everyone was astounded. Here was the Samaritan, who was considered a pagan, at the feet of Jesus professing thanks to the Savior. Not one of the cleansed Jews was found. Ten men were healed physically of leprosy that day and only one came back to give thanks. Ten were healed physically but only one was healed spiritually that day. Physical healing does not guarantee spiritual healing.
Jesus said to the Samaritan, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well,” (Luke 17:19 NIV). It would appear that the man wanted to stay with Jesus but Jesus told him to “go.” In other words he was to go to the priest so he could receive his certificate of cleansing and reenter society. When Jesus said, “your faith has made you well,” Jesus did not use the Greek word that referred only to physical healing and health. The word Jesus used, “sodzo,” meant both physical and spiritual health.
According to the scholars whenever the word is connected with faith in the Gospels it takes on a much larger sense than only physical healing. It means to be saved, spiritually as well as physically—it means to be “whole” as the King James Version renders it in this verse. The word means to be complete, to be right with God. “Your faith has saved you” is a literal translation. The perfect tense here points to a completed action. “Your” is singular. Only one person was saved or made completely well. The other nine were cured of their physical disease—but this man was cured physically and spiritually. The other nine were cured, one day to die both physically and spiritually if no further change was made. But this Samaritan was cured and though he would die physically at some point he would live eternally with Jesus. What was the reason for the difference between the nine and this man? He returned in faith to give thanks.
What a lesson for all of us. God makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. God dispenses His earthly blessings to us all. God may heal physically anyone He chooses. But it is only those who turn to Jesus Christ in faith for spiritual healing and with thankful hearts who will receive eternal life. Are you and I thankful people? Or are we like the nine who receive God’s blessings but our hearts are full of ingratitude? Let us reflect on these things and respond as God leads us.
Today let these words from Psalm 103:1-5 NIV be on our lips and in our hearts, “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul; and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
DR. CHUCK DAVIS-
