July 1 - Where Are The Nine?

Read: Luke 17:11-19

Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?" (Luke 17:17 ESV)

While traveling ten lepers heard Jesus was passing their way. They went to meet him so that they might be healed. Jesus healed them and told them to go to a priest to reveal their healing to him. As they went and were healed only one of the ten thought to turn back to Christ and offer him thanksgiving for the miraculous healing.

Sometimes it is all too easy to take something great God does in our lives for granted. I know I seem to do it often. It is only well after the fact that I usually realize what I have done, if I even notice at all. What is it about us that makes us do that? In those moments I would have to count myself among one of the company of nine that was cleansed by Jesus and failed to say thanks.

Any time we willingly sin in spite of the grace God has extended to us through Jesus we are becoming like one of the nine. Any time we have a prayer answered and then write it off as a coincidence. Any time we chock our good fortune up to luck, or even worse, self-reliance we are becoming like one of the nine lepers.

It is crucial to our spiritual well-being that we keep the truth of Jesus' affect on our lives at the forefront of our thinking. Let us not neglect to offer praise and thanksgiving. Let us not take him for granted. Let us not be like the nine.