One of the other nine

For what are you thankful? In every blessing, every gift, every challenge, every crisis—you can thank God for his love in Jesus.  

Jonathan P. Bilitz  

You don’t know my name. You may have read a little about me and probably have a bad impression of me. I don’t blame you. I am a small part of a famous Bible story.  

Do you remember the story of the ten lepers? You know, the one where only the Samaritan returned to thank Jesus? That’s my story. I was one who did not return. I was one about whom Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17). There are no excuses for what I did—or better, what I didn’t do. I simply pray you learn from my failure.  

I was dead. Or at least in the hearts of those who knew me, in the minds of everyone else, I was as good as dead. Death is the sentence of leprosy. I was living apart from the people I loved, living with others who were afflicted like me. No healthy person wanted to come near me. Worst of all, leprosy had no cure. I was dead. 

Can you imagine my anticipation when I heard that the great healer, Jesus, was going to be near? You can undoubtedly picture my joy as my body became whole on my way to the priests. Maybe you wonder, What was he thinking? How could he neglect to give Jesus a simple word of thanks? 

I have no excuse. I was thinking only of myself. I thought about what I was going to do with my new lease on life. How wonderful it was to be healed! Worse than my selfishness, I had no appreciation for the real Jesus. I have replayed that day in my mind many times. Oh, for a second chance!  

That’s why I am writing this letter. Time passed before I understood how wrongly I had acted. Then I heard news about the teacher who healed me. Jesus’ tragic death saddened me deeply. I heard stories about his resurrection. But that’s exactly what I considered them—stories.  

But something changed. As I looked at my life, I felt something missing. I thought I was happy. After all, the death sentence leprosy had pronounced had been miraculously lifted. Yet something wasn’t right. 

I began to learn more about my healer, and my eyes were opened. The Spirit of God used Jesus’ life, his death, and his resurrection to reveal he is more than just a healer and teacher. Jesus is the Messiah about whom the Old Testament prophesied. He is the Great Prophet about whom Moses spoke. He is the Lamb led to the slaughter that Isaiah presented. Jesus is my Savior, but not only from leprosy. He is my Savior from sin and death itself! 

Suddenly the guilt of my thanklessness seemed even greater. I had offended God himself! Then I saw that Jesus’ life and death were for me. Jesus lived perfectly when I could not. He suffered the punishment that should have been mine. My sin and my guilt were completely gone—just as my leprosy had been taken away! I am at peace with God.  

My joy overflows into words and actions with only one purpose—to praise and glorify the Savior who loves me so much he healed me twice. 


Jonathan Bilitz is pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel, Madison, Wisconsin. 


 

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Author: Jonathan P. Bilitz
Volume 105, Number 11
Issue: November 2018

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