One Grateful Soul
Introduction
I remember growing up, my momma would always tell me, "If someone does something nice for you, never forget to say thank you". They did not have to do anything for you, but through their compassion, and kindness; they went on and completed the task for you. However, today that seems like one of the things that is lacking. We are not appreciative enough of the things people do for us. For example, if we come across someone who does something for us, they become our meal ticket, in other words they become the person we constantly call on, no matter what the situation maybe. One many occasions they set aside their own personal business, to help us out, but just that one time they are not able to come through for us, we get mad at them, hold a grudge against them, claiming that, "You were not there when I needed you the most". Out of all the times that they have been there for us; the one time they cannot, we get upset.
Believe it or not, this is what some of us do with God. All the time He has been doing things for us, but the one time He does not answer the one we think we need the most we get mad at Him: we stay out of church, we start making scenes at various church functions, jump to another religion. We just are not appreciative enough of the things He has done.
As we look at our text, Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, He is about to come to the close of His earthly ministry. On His way, He came across a village that was in the midst of Samaria, and Galilee, where, ten men who had leprosy met Him. Leprosy is like HIV, today. It is something that we do not know too much about, nor do we have a cure for. Those who had leprosy had to stay in a certain place, aside from the city. People were afraid of leprosy, because they did not know what leprosy was, and they probably thought that it was contagious and they could die from it. Therefore, whenever a person came a certain distance, they had to cry out leprosy! Leprosy! to let people know, what type of condition they were in. When I looked at this text, I had seen it from two perspectives physical, and spiritual.
Physical
When we look at this from a physical aspect, we see this as something impossible for God to handle. For example, someone who has HIV, AIDS, or cancer, we tend to stay away from them, because we are scared, that we may become infected like them. Seeing doctors and modern technology could not cure them, we tend to feel God cannot as well. It is as though we have placed God on the same level as us.
God can cure anyone whenever He pleases, and since He does not do it when we feel he should, we come up with humanistic way of trying to heal them and ourselves as well. Like turning to faith healers, or oil anointing. I remember I was at a certain church, and one of the members came and asked the Pastor if he would go by and pray for their family member. Instead he sent one of the associates to, he went in with his oil and placed some on her forehead and said, "your healed, Your healed". He stuck out his chest as if he had done something spectacular, and told her family she would be all right and two week later, we were committing her body to the ground.
I remember when I had went back to the same church to finish out my last semester, I had walked in right when the pastor was doing announcements, and he had stated to the congregation that, "The first Sunday we are going to start having an oil anointing service". The congregation started shouting and praising God, and stating that God has finally heard their prayers. The night came when the oil anointing services started, and I was listening to the requests that were being made. "I want the lord to remove my arthritis". "I want the lord to remove this ailment that is causing my sight to be lost". "I want the lord to give me strength in my limbs so I can be able to walk like I used to". The request that they were making was one that was setting themselves for a fall. For is the lord did not answer their request the way they thought, they would be left wondering if God is real, or does God even care.
I can hear them say:
"Why would God allow me to go through something like this"?
"Why did He not come when I needed Him"?
"How come He just did not just remove it from me"?
"I'm in my last stage of cancer, why would He not take it"?
"My marriage is on the rocks, why did He not help"?
"My child is running wild, why did He not just step in"?
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, BUT WITH THE WRONG MENTALITY.
WHY? WHY? WHY?
"Lord, I heard how you had parted the Red Sea". Why?
"I heard how you raised Lazarus from the grave". Why?
"I heard how you raised Jaruis' daughter from her sleep". Why?
"Where were you when I needed you the most"?
Transition: Then I had to look at this from a spiritual perspective.