11 November 2015 - healing realized

And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. 

Why do the others not give thanks? We can imagine them to be so fixated on the specific words of Jesus that they treat them like a formula or a recipe. They can't deviate from it lest it not work. Maybe they are so fixated on the formula that they don't even really realize that they are healed. After all, it only says for sure that the one who returns realizes what happens. The Samaritan does realize what happens. He is somehow more able to notice this and to fully grasp the implications. His heart is moved to give thanks in a way that the other lepers do not experience. What about us, then? The formulas we have are not wrong. But they can be a problem when they become a hindrance to real relationship. They are meant to be a help. They can be. But we can't bury our heads in them. If our hearts tell us it is time to give thanks, well, the priests can perhaps wait a little longer before we present ourselves to them.

If we have this living relationship with the LORD will be able to exercise leadership in fidelity to his will. We don't need to fear the additional scrutiny that comes with power if we trust in him. We realize that there is no one formula for leadership and turn to the LORD for his will. He shows us how to keep the law no matter the situation in which we find ourselves.

Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.

It is good that we have a strategy. We all have areas where authority is given to us. We can't refuse to let our lights shine because we fear it. We need only fear self-reliance apart from God.

I said: “You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”

As long as we walk with him he speaks the words that calm our hearts, "Do not be afraid." Ours is in many ways a fearful dignity. We are all priests, prophets, and kings. But the LORD provides all we need if we are open to what he does and remember to give thanks.