Me: Howdy Prodigal!
Prodigal: I am ready to hear a story because it has been a long week.
Me: Well maybe this will help.
How had his life gotten to this point? It was morning. The sun had risen and the chill of the night before was still in the area. He used to have something to hope for. He was not the first born son but the second. Still his father had enough goats to sustain his four sons. His father had been prosperous in his life. He would be given enough to be able to make something of his life, if he had a plan and he worked hard for it. As he grew into adulthood he did work toward a life that he hoped would bring him a good life. He watched after his flock of goats and they began to grow and he slowly was able to have some things of his own. He had even been able to marry a kind, pretty woman that his family had known all their lives. She was shy sometimes but he knew that she loved him.
So life had started out well. He had a wonderful wife and had enough to sustain himself and the beginning of a family. So why on this morning was he surround by these other guys. Why was his life without hope?
He will never forget that day. He had been married for a year. Life was going well. He woke up and in the morning light he looked at his left hand. What was that small red spot? Where did it come from? The next day he took the longest bath he had every had. He was determined to get rid of this spot. By the end of the week though, he knew in his heart what this was. He had what was worse than death, he had leprosy. He could have hid it longer. He could have tried to enjoy the last days with his wonderful wife. He loved her too much. He wanted to give her a chance to remarry while she was still young.
He prepared some clothes, a little bit of food, and then said goodbye to his loved ones forever. He left the village in Samaria that he had known his whole life. He did not want to be close enough where is love ones would feel sadness or regret if they saw him. He did not want their stares of pity.
That was 10 years ago. He had met two men who had leprosy and decided to stay with them. At least he could have some company. Over time different men would come and go. Now as he looked around and there was 10 of them. He did not really know the men that he was with. He had closed himself off emotionally that day he had left his wife and his family. Why try to make connections even among lepers? They would die or move on to another area one by one.
He did like to stay close by though for protection. There was protection in numbers. At least no one would try and gain up on a group of lepers. If he was alone then they may hurl rocks with insults and he could truly be hurt and then would probably surely die on the streets. Here at least he knew if he died then one of the other lepers would move his body to another spot and attempt to bury him in a shallow grave. This was at least how they saw each other. We can at least give each other the respect of a burial.
He had first learned of this code of respect when he had woke up one morning to find Jude not alive. Quietly the lepers around him started the work of carrying him to another spot and burying him. This was how he had found himself with ten others who were not friends but did not leave him completely alone in the world.
After he finished his thoughts he looked out and noticed a small group of men that had started to approach them. It was then that some of the lepers started to cry out. Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Before he knew it his voice was crying the same thing. He did not know who this Jesus was but deep inside of him, he knew that he started to have a feeling that he had almost forgot existed. That feeling was hope. How could this man, suddenly give him hope?
Then he heard one man answer in the a calm but strong voice, “Go show yourselves unto the priests.” When he heard the command, their was a feeling of peace that washed over him that he had never felt before. He turned to look at the man named Jesus. He immediately saw love and compassion in eyes that seemed to know everything about him.
Without even thinking he started turning to walk toward the priests and it was then that some of the other men started shouting and laughing. They cried “we are healed!” and started running in so many different directions toward town.
After watching them run off, I looked down and my arm was completely healed. I quickly looked at my other arm, and it was healed. I knew then that this man was God. He was the one who created me. As my soul soaked up this new realization, my body was moving before I could even think. I turned back and loudly proclaimed,” God goes the glory for my creation and my healing”. I continued on “God is most worthy to be worshipped.” I did know that my lips could not stop from voicing worship of who Jesus was. I then fell down on my face and voicing over and over again thanks be to God!
Jesus then asked me “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And then he said unto me. Arise go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole.
I stood up and immediately I knew that it was not my physically miracle that had changed me the most but it was the inner miracle. I knew now that Jesus was the son of God and that He was there to save my soul. He had just given me that as he spoke his last words to me. I had peace, hope, joy and a filling of being complete that I had never experienced before.
It was still morning as I watched him walk away, but it was a morning that I would keep playing over in my mind everyday as long as I live. I also knew that I would crave to share my story of Jesus with anyone who would want to hear.
Luke 17
11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
