I will praise the Lord at all times,
I will constantly speak His praises.
Psalm 34:1 (NLT)
Series: The Gift of Faith
If you have ever walked into a room and forgotten why you are there, you are not alone! Whether distracted, overwhelmed, or rushed, we have all experienced this at some point. I remember walking back to where I was, only to remember exactly what it was I needed. So frustrating! Misplacing an item or forgetting an appointment is rectifiable, but there are some things we never want to lose sight of. If you are a Christ follower, I would bet you have prayed or pleaded with God occasionally. Maybe it was for a friend’s health, a promotion at work, a better credit score, or a good test result. What a blessing to have a God who listens and never forgets!
Faith enables us to ask the Lord for help in so many situations. You may be part of a prayer chain and have seen firsthand the needs around you and the mercies God provided. Can you remember the circumstances of every prayer you’ve spoken? Did you rejoice in every outcome? Just like walking into that room, we can become consumed with the request, and tend to forget the One who answers. If only our immediate faith response was giving praise.
Let’s look at an encounter Jesus had with 10 men suffering from leprosy, illustrating this very tendency.
Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11-19)
Jesus healed many people with varying illnesses and disabilities. Many times, He would heal by touching the person, but in this case, He told the 10 men to “go” show the priests. As they went, the healing of their skin began. He called them to action. Leprosy was an isolating disease. Can you imagine the joy these men had to have knowing that because of the healing, they could now return to their families and communities? Yet, as the scripture states, only ONE turned back, fell on his face, and gave praise to Jesus! A Samaritan, no less!
I find it astonishing that the Samaritan ran back to praise Jesus. The Samaritans worshipped idols and were despised by the Jewish people. Yet, this man had so much faith in Jesus, he was the only one who fell on his face and gave praise. Jesus asks where the others were and even points out the only man giving glory to God was a foreigner! The other nine must have been Israelites. Yikes. We have to ask ourselves a hard question here. If we love Christ, do we remember to give praise? Does our faith move us to action? Do we recognize His mercy and grace in our lives or do we, like the 9, just keep living without offering Him a word of thanksgiving?
I want to tell you that every time God has shown mercy, or provided my direction that I have knelt down and given Him thanks and praise. But, I can’t. My heart longs to be like the man who turned back and acknowledged the graciousness of Jesus. I haven’t always understood the power of God, the way He answers me, or the silence He allows sometimes, but I have seen His faithfulness more than I can count. Though it may feel more difficult to praise Him in the middle of our trials and sorrows, it is our faith that makes it possible to continue praising Him through all situations. Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith and He never forgets us.
May your faith be ignited by the love of Christ, your eyes be opened to see His mercies, and may your lips proclaim all glory and praise to your Savior.
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. (Psalm 63:3-4 NKJV)
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References: Psalm 34:1, 63:3-4, 100; Luke 17:11-19; Hebrews 12:2