a call to Humbleness

It seems the Lord loudly speaks to me through members of the community, especially those who are in the margins. This Sunday Karis looked at a passage from Luke 17 where Jesus heals ten lepers and only one of them comes back to praise Christ. He is so excited to be cleared of his uncleanliness that the first thing he does is turn around from his way to the temple (so that his community would be informed he was in fact clean) to thank God. He falls on his feet and praises God, One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him- and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15,16

To be brief, a friend of mine has had a hard past. Rougher than your next door neighbor. And yet somehow, finds the strength to praise in midst of San Quentin. He doesn't love the Lord, yet, but his heart is being softened daily by the gospel. Today, my friend imparted words of wisdom to me, but more than that, he told me truth. Without even knowing it. He praised what was happening even before he has come to see the result. He reminded me that knowing the outcome shouldn't change how I respond to God. Knowing what is going to happen next shouldn't be the reason I praise or am disappointed. It isn't about what is given to me, but is about what the Lord has chosen to bless me with throughout my life.

It was an absolute call to humbleness and I'm willing to bet that will be a theme the Lord continues to teach me through others. I want to praise God like the Samaritan that was healed by Christ. I want to fall at the feet of the Lord and thank Him even before He fulfills or answers my prayers. He yearns for me to learn this concept so He teaches me through the most surprising. Someone who doesn't even know Him, who is searching but has still not entered into a relationship with God. But because my friend is created in the image of God he has a relational characteristic that dwells within. And he is thankful in the midst of the unknown.

My prayer is not only would my friend respond to the Lord through this, but that my heart would be softened. That I would be able to be humble and praise the Lord in times of uncertainty, and the things from day to day, because God has made me! He has healed me and I find my rest in Him. I pray that Christ would transform the people's hearts that He is using to speak truth and the people who need truth spoken too.

God is miraculous, friends. And even that isn't a fitting word for how grand He truly is.