“They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Luke 17:13
Do you hang back? Are you afraid to approach Jesus because you feel unworthy to do so?
In Luke 17:11-19, we hear about a group of ten men who have skin disease, leprosy. To be a leper in Biblical times was to be unclean, to be an outcast. No one would come near; no one would touch a leper. Imagine, no one would even help to care for their wounds. Lepers were on their own, totally cut off from everyone and everything they knew and loved. There only solace came from banding together, forming colonies with others suffering in the same way. Thus, is their existence when they hear about Jesus healing the sick, the blind, and the lame. And, He is coming! He will be passing their way, but, will He help them, unclean as they are?
Refusing to let despair take over, they go to the small town nearby and seek Him out. Not wanting to get close to Him, they call out from afar, begging Him to take pity on them. Jesus hears them and tells them to go show themselves to their priest. The Bible says, “And as they went, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17:14) Can’t you just imagine what went on as they walked off? “Why are we going to the priest? What is the priest going to do for us?” And then, someone says, “I don’t know, but Jesus said to go, and based on all I have heard about Him, I am going. He must have a reason!” The others look at each other and then, agreeing, they set off for the priest. I envision the group, having been paused and arguing, taking that next step in unison. In that next step, one of trust and belief in Jesus, they are all healed. Now, they are jumping for joy, and running excitedly to show their priest; all but one that is.
In his joy, the one realizes the source of his healing. He returns first to Jesus, to thank Him. Jesus asks about the others, wanting to know where they are, for weren’t they all healed? The others are running wildly around, rushing to show their loved ones and friends they have been healed. I like to think they just got overly excited, and will later remember to go and thank Jesus. To the one, Jesus says, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19) He was cleansed both on the outside and the inside. He was well, whole once more, and he knew who was responsible. As Jesus told him to, he went, but with a heart filled with love, joy, and the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Let us be like the one leper. If we truly feel unworthy to approach Jesus, let us call out to Him from right where we are. Let us ask Him to have pity on us, to have mercy on us. And when He does, because He will, let us then not be afraid to approach Him in thanksgiving. He will draw us near to Him, and we will never want to be apart from Him again, for with Him, we are made well. We are whole again.
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
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