Good morning. Today is Saturday, August 22nd!

🥳 Congratulations on starting today with God, and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

— Luke 17:13

As Jesus traveled toward Jerusalem, He entered a village where ten men with leprosy stood at a distance and called out to Him:

“Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” — Luke 17:13

Jesus saw them and told them to go show themselves to the priests. Under the Law, a priest could examine someone who had been cleansed and declare them clean, allowing them to return to normal life.

So the ten men went.

And “as they went, they were cleansed.”

All ten.

That number matters because of what happens next.

One of the men realized he had been healed and immediately turned around. He came back praising God loudly, threw himself at Jesus’ feet, and thanked Him.

Luke then tells us the man was a Samaritan, which makes his return even more noticeable. The outsider was the one who came back.

Then Jesus asked:

“Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” — Luke 17:17

That question is really the heart of the story.

Jesus had healed ten people, yet only one returned to thank Him.

The other nine weren’t denied the miracle because they didn’t come back. They really were cleansed. Jesus Himself confirms it: “Were not all ten cleansed?” Ten received mercy. Ten received healing. Ten suddenly had their lives changed.

But only one turned around.

And that makes this story an uncomfortable picture of how easy it is to receive something from God and quickly move on from the God who gave it.

All ten remembered Jesus when they had leprosy. When they needed mercy, all ten knew how to call His name. But once they had what they wanted, nine continued down the road.

Only one decided that receiving the gift wasn’t the end of the story.

He came back.

There’s nothing wrong with crying out to God when we need something. These men did exactly that, and Jesus had mercy on them. The lesson is what happens afterward.

We can spend weeks praying for something and only seconds thanking God when it comes. We can ask repeatedly for an answered prayer and then quickly treat the answer as normal life.

Jesus noticed that nine were missing.

Ten were healed. One came back.

And sometimes the simplest lesson is the one Jesus’ question leaves us with:

Don’t be one of the nine who remembers Jesus only when you need something. Be the one who comes back.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: Father, You are merciful and generous.

Confession: Forgive us when we receive Your blessings and forget to thank You.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for hearing our prayers and for all You have given us.

Supplication: Help us always remember to come back and give You thanks.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

“Battle Belongs” by Phil Wickham

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See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God