They hear about this man. News travels fast along trade routes. Rumors fly down country roads.
And suddenly, here he is. Walking into their village.
They stand at a distance. Ten men. Diseased. Desperate in their pain and isolation. Unclean.
“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” They say it loud. Across the divide.
He speaks
He sees them. Doesn’t look away or walk on by.
But His reply is curious. “Go and show yourselves to the priests” (Luke 17:14).
Go to the priests? Like this? Still terribly diseased?
He is sending them to the only ones who can examine their skin and officially declare them clean. Safe.
The only ones who can say, “Quarantine over.”
Seems an odd directive. But these ten immediately do it. Obey His voice.
Start the journey.
Clean
When does everything change?
While they are going, Luke says. While they’re walking down the road.
Something happens. Sweeps over them. They look at their arms and hands. Feet. Each other’s faces.
No longer putrid sores but pure skin. Smooth complexions. Complete. Clean.
Incredible.
Changing direction
Jaws drop. Trills of excitement begin.
And the one stops in his tracks. The Samaritan. A foreigner among them.
Their disease somehow made the despised their comrade.
Overwhelmed. Overcome. Grateful to the core, he turns around and heads back the way they came.
Was it part of his culture to say thanks? A discipline of his upbringing? Or just sheer awe and wonder changing his direction?
Saved
Alone, on feet renewed, he returns to the Master. Glorifying God. Loudly. There’s no mistaking who receives praise.
He falls flat on his newly-healed face. At the feet of Jesus. And thanks Him.
After Jesus asks about the noticeable absence of the other nine, He sends the man on his way.
A man saved by faith. Outwardly healed. Inwardly whole.
He seeks us
Jesus walks into our villages. Into our disease and darkness.
This sin sickness isolates. Delivers pain. Leads to certain death.
Jesus Christ enters our villages. Sees and hears the loud desperation. Of never feeling complete. Never being enough.
He seeks us. In our hopeless state. Across the divide.
And reveals the path of life. The only way to be declared clean. Saved. Whole.
The only road to the Father.
The wonder of His work
And the wonder of His work stops me in my tracks.
Takes me to my knees.
Facedown in awe.
Jesus, my Lord and Master.
Glory to God in the Highest.
What about you?
Have you ever been awe-struck by the wonder of His initial and ongoing, sanctifying work in your life? Is there a specific song or Scripture passage expressing your praise as you give glory to God for making you clean?
Related posts
The mystery of the gospel – Wounded – Enter the narrow door – Come and see – Resurrection – Paths and prophets – Rich man’s rain – Repent and believe – God speaks –
8 replies on “Clean”
The song “Goodness of God” has been in my heart for weeks! The bridge says “His goodness is running after me” and I have been meditating on how TRUE that has been in my life – in the ways I recognize and I’m certain in ways I have not imagined.
I stopped and listened to this again. Truly, “all my life You have been faithful….” Thanks for sharing, sister.
I love this post. I’m amazed at God’s grace and rejoice in his unfailing love. I was just thinking about the fear of Covid and wondering why we don’t fear sin and its destruction in our lives as much as sickness. May God’s Spirit give us a hatred of our sin and a greater joy in his grace. Lamentations 3:22-23 often wells up in my mind as does the chorus, “Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. . . “
So true! Fearing a physical disease and not the most deadly disease of all. Thanks for sharing the song that wells up in you. Yes! “…Thank you, Lord, for making me whole!”
Don’t hear it often nowadays, Susan, but these words from a hymn resonate loud and clear with me: “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds my sin and my guilt! Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. GRACE. GRACE. God’s GRACE.”
“…Grace that will pardon and cleanse within…Grace that is greater than all our sin.” Yes! Thank you for sharing this hymn, Bettie.
I was reading in Ezekiel this morning, and several verses over several chapters jumped out at me–His promises to cleanse, cleanse, cleanse. Oh, the wonder of it! And oh, how I constantly need it.
Amen, sister🙌🏼. Thanks for sharing.