Settling for Half a Miracle

Pastor Levi shared beautifully on Sunday about the 10 lepers who were cleansed and of only one who returned and thanked Jesus.  As I was reading it during the sermon I was struck by something I had not seen before. When the one returned worshipping and praising God, Jesus said something to him that I had not really seen before, He said, “Stand up and go, your faith has made you well.”  Wait, I thought that he was already healed?  So how come Jesus is telling him now that his faith has made him well?  

 

I looked up the phrase “made you well” and the translation is “your faith has saved you from sin.”  This man alone, out of the ten who were cleansed of the outside infirmity of leprosy, received the complete healing – the second and more important miracle – salvation from sin.  

 

I am struck by how it parallels so many today who see Jesus as what He can do for them on the superficial level – heal my body, provide finances, bail me out of a mess – but as soon as He has done those things they are gone again and have no desire for true relationship with Him.  They don’t want to worship Him or get to know Him deeply and personally and it grieves His heart.  And God’s heart is grieved not for His sake but because He is so sad at what they are truly giving up.  They settle for a part when they could have it all.  Which of us would take $5.00 if we were offered $50,000,000?  Yet so many of us are doing that when we reject relationship with Jesus and want only what He can give us to make like here on earth more “enjoyable.”  

 

Come to Jesus and seek Him more than for what He can give us in this world.  Pursue relationship with Him – that is where the real miracles occur.