Consider all that a leper lost besides his health once he was declared “unclean” in the OT:
1. His dignity
Lev. 13:45-46 “And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.”
2. His livelihood
“All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled;”
3. His family
he is unclean: he shall dwell alone;”
4. His community
“without the camp shall his habitation be.”
LESSON - Imagine the despair someone in this situation must have felt. Along with his loss of health, the fear, isolation, and loneliness had to be overwhelming. There are no other words to describe his situation other than lost and alone. NOW, imagine the joy of the ten lepers who when they cried for God’s mercy received it from Jesus.
Lk. 17:13-14, 19 “And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 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. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” This was our condition spiritually before we knew the Lord, lost & alone. One cry for mercy solved our sin problem and restored that which sin had stolen. Of the ten lepers healed, only one returned to give thanks to Jesus. May we exude that leper’s spirit of thankfulness by expressing our gratitude with faithfulness in obedience, stewardship, worship, and service! We will never again be lost & alone.
~Mike
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