Thank God For Miracles

I love reading the reports in the Bible about Jesus’ miracles. I try to imagine the impact that these miracles had on these people and their families: a blind man can suddenly see his children for the first time, a cripple person can work again, a seriously ill woman can rejoin her family for the first time in years.

But some people had some very unexpected reactions:
A man healed of leprosy was told by Jesus to keep it on the down-low, but he told the whole town about it anyway.
When one man was delivered from violent, dangerous demons, the town’s people got so scared they begged Jesus to go away. Now there is a mixed–up bunch!
Jesus healed one boy, and the crowd thought Jesus had killed him.
One time Jesus healed a crippled woman, but the religious people became angry because He did it on the wrong day.
Another time, Jesus healed a blind man, so the authorities tried to force him to implicate Jesus in a religious crime. Luckily, he was blind throughout most of the miracle so he had a great excuse to not identify Jesus. When the authorities went after the man’s parents, they cut their own son loose to avoid trouble for themselves.
A group of ten lepers were healed at the same time, but only one came back to say “thank you”.

But the greatest miracle of all is salvation- Jesus’ death for our sins. The worst deformity will only last until we die. And no one will call you “Duckface” in Heaven (sorry if that is your nickname). Once we get to Heaven, all sicknesses and disabilities will be gone.

But the miracle of salvation is eternal, the overwhelming, compelling reason to love God forever.

I want to be like that one leper who came back and found Jesus, to tell him that he was eternally grateful. That’s what a great worshiper is. This is what happened…

Luke 17:15-17.
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.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

The healing of the nine guys was remarkable and the story even made it into the Bible. But this one man not only knew he was healed, he also realized Who had done it. He got loud and passionate in giving praise.

There is the heart of worship.