Friday, October 07, 2016

Friday, October 7, 2016

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.

A larger world

It is not those who know themselves to be right that reveal the marks of salvation. The essence of faith appears in the presence of love and gratitude, the man at Jesus feet.

He has been drawn into a larger world where he knows the One who is the Source of every mercy. He recognizes the Divine Presence and falls at the feet of Jesus.

It is this that makes him well. Of the 10, he alone sees, truly recognizing what the others do not. The rest are cured and go their way. But filled with gratitude and love, he returns to the Source, to the face of God that has looked on him with mercy.

In seeing, he enters a world where mercy is not rare but present with every sunrise, with every act of grace, with every smile of love and welcome, with every smallest blessing that lights the way of our lives.

He enters a way of life marked by gratitude and love for the Source. He is saved, made well.

He knows he is part of something larger than himself, entering a universe where grace abounds despite and amid the troubles and struggles and destruction we hear about each day.


He becomes the bearer of blessing and joy because he sees. He knows.

He need no longer be controlled by anxiety or worries, for he lives in a world where Mercy lives. It touches us. It enlarges our hearts. It relieves us of our fears and anxieties just to know this.

He is what the world so badly needs. His joy is a sign that Mercy lives … and that we can live beyond the blame and anger and accusation that is malignant in our society.

Knowing the Mercy who is … we are well.


Pr. David L. Miller

Friday, October 7, 2016

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.

A larger world

It is not those who know themselves to be right that reveal the marks of salvation. The essence of faith appears in the presence of love and gratitude, the man at Jesus feet.

He has been drawn into a larger world where he knows the One who is the Source of every mercy. He recognizes the Divine Presence and falls at the feet of Jesus.

It is this that makes him well. Of the 10, he alone sees, truly recognizing what the others do not. The rest are cured and go their way. But filled with gratitude and love, he returns to the Source, to the face of God that has looked on him with mercy.

In seeing, he enters a world where mercy is not rare but present with every sunrise, with every act of grace, with every smile of love and welcome, with every smallest blessing that lights the way of our lives.

He enters a way of life marked by gratitude and love for the Source. He is saved, made well.

He knows he is part of something larger than himself, entering a universe where grace abounds despite and amid the troubles and struggles and destruction we hear about each day.


He becomes the bearer of blessing and joy because he sees. He knows.

He need no longer be controlled by anxiety or worries, for he lives in a world where Mercy lives. It touches us. It enlarges our hearts. It relieves us of our fears and anxieties just to know this.

He is what the world so badly needs. His joy is a sign that Mercy lives … and that we can live beyond the blame and anger and accusation that is malignant in our society.

Knowing the Mercy who is … we are well.


Pr. David L. Miller

Thursday, October 06, 2016

Thursday, October 5, 2016

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

Healing mercy

There is a difference between being cured and being healed. It is a matter of the heart …and of community.

Ten are cured, but only one is healed. Only one is well, the one who is so filled with gratitude that he throws himself at the feet of the Source of Mercy.

That one knows he is dependent for everything—for life itself and for every moment that pumps vitality into his body and joy into his heart—upon the Source of Mercy who has appeared in his life.

His trust in that Abundant Source makes him well. His faith his heals what is most broken in him.

For what is most broken in him …and all of us … is not his disease. It is the doubt and fear that plague the heart and kill the joy and gratitude for life that is so evident in the man at Jesus’ feet.

That is living. Anything less is just going through the motions of the day.

Knowing mercy … and its divine Source … heals the heart and awakens joyful anticipation for each day, for it is then that we trust that the Mercy who met us in the past will meet us again in myriad ways we cannot anticipate.

This is the faith that makes us well and draws us into a community of mercy and gratitude. 

Deepest healing is known in community with those who know they need mercy, who cry out for mercy, who have eyes to see and hearts to feel mercy when it comes, however it comes.

Wherever that community appears the church is, and Christ is truly known as healing mercy he is.


Pr. David L. Miller