Our Focal Scripture speaks of that moment when Jesus questioned the absence of the nine lepers who didn’t return to give Him thanks. The one who returned was a Samaritan; so the rest who didn’t return were Jews. In bible times, Jews felt superior to Samaritans. Jews were the ones deemed closer to God while the Samaritans were deemed far from God. So those that felt close to God did not bother to give thanks.
Friend, could it be possible that those Jewish lepers were more accustomed to the religious observance that recommended that they meet the priest, rather than Jesus? Could it be that they knew and held on to the law more than they held on to Jesus? Could it be that they saw Jesus as their fellow Jew who didn’t require a show of gratitude? Could it be that familiarity with Jesus caused them to take His mercy for granted?
Today, make a commitment to be different from those nine ungrateful lepers. Put away every familiarity with God that is robbing you of the fullness of your walk with God; put away every sense of entitlement that makes you feel you deserve whatever God has done for you; put away every fixation on the law that robs you of the fullness of God’s grace; put away every familiarity with God that shuts you out of His greatness.
If your walk with God has come to a point where the things that should matter no longer matter to you, then you are certainly on the wrong pathway, and you just might need to retrace your steps. If your walk with God has reached a point where you feel entitled to what He does for you, instead of being grateful for what He has done, now is the time to turn a new leaf.
Remember, Jesus pronounced wholeness on the Samaritan leper who returned to give thanks. So the Jewish lepers were really not whole. If you are familiar, without trembling at His goodness and presence, then wholeness is missing, and it’s high time you got it back.
