One Soul

Jesus said, “Rise and go your faith has made you well.”

Bethel Church in Redding, California continues to release one hit song after another.  One I adore right now is, It Is Well.  Here are some of its simple, yet powerful lyrics.

Through it all, though it all 

My eyes are on You

Through it all, through it all

It is well Lord

So let go my soul and trust in Him

The waves and wind still know His name

It is well with my soul

It is well with my soul

It is well because of who you are Lord 

This beautiful song in connection with Jesus’ miraculous healing in Luke 17, brought a simple truth about Jesus absolutely alive in my soul.  I can’t wait to share it with you!

In Luke 17:11-17, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.  It was an ordinary day in His life.  He had places to go, people to meet, and things to do.  As he walked to His next destination, ten men suffering from leprosy spied Him coming and called out to Him.  

They shouted, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  Their cries for help stopped Jesus in his tracks.  Jesus turned to them and, as was custom of the time, immediately sent them to the priest to be declared healed. 

Though nothing had yet changed, they followed his command.  Jesus sent and they went.  As they traveled to see the priest, their skin was cured of leprosy.  They would be declared healthy and be able to return to their previous lives.  Jesus had restored their bodies and set them free to enjoy life with their families again. 

But one man, upon realizing how he had been miraculously healed, turned around and returned to Jesus, fell to his knees and thanked Him.  Noticing he was alone, Jesus questioned the man about the other nine.  “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?”

Then Jesus said to him “Rise and go, your faith has made you well.”

Jesus had healed all ten men physically. They were freed from disease to return to normal lives.  But only the man who returned to thank Jesus was cleansed both of leprosy AND of sin from his soul.  He alone showed faith, trust, and confidence in Jesus, and he alone was made well with the Lord.

Jesus is calling us to be like the one leper who returned, to have faith and give thanks!

When your prayers are answered, do you return to God’s presence and thank Him for His blessings and power at work in your life?  Or do you instead keep moving along because you have places to go, people to see, and things to do? 

I’m often guilty of moving right along because I either take God’s goodness for granted or am “just too busy.”  My 3 o’clock alarm has all too often snapped me out of the busyness and reminded me to stop, look up, and give thanks to God.  Although things may be well with my life, like the leper in the story, it is only when I stop to give thanks that things are made well with my soul. 

What about you? Do you return to Jesus by stopping to give Him thanks every day?  Your soul is precious to God, and He wants to make it well within you.  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement