As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,

he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.

As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.

They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,

"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"

And when he saw them, he said,

"Go show yourselves to the priests."

As they were going they were cleansed.

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.

He was a Samaritan.

Jesus said in reply,

"Ten were cleansed, were they not?

Where are the other nine?

Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"

Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;

your faith has saved you."

(Luke 17:11-19)

In order to glorify God, the man had to first realize that he had been healed. Specifically, he had to realize that it was God who healed him. All the beautiful and glorifying things that surround us are from God.

Yet what does this mean about the posture we should take with these gifts? The reality is that they lack a sense of security. We could lose them at any time. The temptation to clutch onto these gifts is often talked about. Yet, what about the temptation to stubbornly keep your hands closed while God is pouring glorious things into your life, because you are scared of their unsecure nature?

At times I sense a temptation to be overly cautious and skeptical about the good gifts God offers us. There can be a fear of hoping for something and being proved wrong. I have had many conversations with strangers during Two By Tuesdays where God's presence was undeniably at hand. After those interactions, there is a hope that you will see that person again, a hope that they will come around. Yet quite often this does not happen. Though, this certainly does not mean that God was not present. It was a good and glorifying gift from God to be able to talk, laugh, and share joy with that person.

We do not own the future and cannot control what will come out of these interactions. Do not be scared to see God in these people out of fear of disappointment. One of the most joyful gifts God has given us is the fact that despite the fallen nature of this world, we can proclaim confidently in so many ways that we see God. When new people come around, there is a temptation to assume they will soon forget about the good things they see here and leave. This can leave us in an awkward state of waiting. We can find ourselves both waiting for God to provide the people we ask him for in prayer, yet also waiting for those who he does provide to one day leave. Like the man healed from his leprosy, we must acknowledge that God has sent us a good gift in the people surrounding us in order to fully enjoy them. Once the man realized what God had done for him, he proudly and confidently proclaimed God’s glory. He is not solely delighted because he was relieved from his leprosy, he is also in joy over God’s majesty and mercy.

When God puts good things in our lives, confidently proclaiming these things as from God ultimately multiplies the joy we receive from them. We must go to God with our hands fully open, allowing his gifts to openly flow in and out of our palms, praising him through it all. There is a great comfort and rest to be found in trusting God with your hopes and desires. It is good for us to allow ourselves to be excited about God’s gifts, even if it is true that they can be taken from us. God is excited to see the joy upon your face when he puts a good thing in your hands. We must boldly proclaim that these things are from him and the ways we see him in them. No matter what season the flow of these gifts are in, the Father is due of bold and loud glorifying praise.

Amen.

Trusting God with Open Hands: Peri Sonnier

POWERED BY SQUARESPACE