Luke 17: 15-16 -- Faith is a Journey
And one of [the ten lepers], 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.
Not too long ago, I lived a life of little faith. And in that empty experience, there were times when I would desire something more, compelled to ask questions for which I did not know the answer. Faith and religion, then, were phoney words to me. Why would I ever consider going to church, an institution full of haters and hypocrites?
Well, the church has not changed. It is still full of liars. It is still an institution of ignominy. It is still a scandalous place. But what I failed to see then that I see now is that the church is the imperfect Body of Christ. And in the same way that Jesus invited the tax collectors, prostitutes, and prodigals of first-century Palestine, he invites me today. I am the church that I once avoided, willing, through grace, to face my faults and walk toward conversion. And it has only been through Christ’s grace and healing, therefore, that I continue to persevere.
Every time I read the story of the grateful Samaritan, I am reminded of how thankful I am for God’s healing grace. Let us all remember to take a moment today to thank God for the many blessings in our lives.
Peace,
Stan
