There are times it is simply enough to know that God is the God of Hope. There must be. When we don’t have the answers, when we don’t understand the outcome, when we don’t get what is going on – our only hope is found in God. It doesn’t take away our hurt. It doesn’t fix things. This isn’t some magic potion that clears everything up and all is well. It also isn’t some pie-in-the-sky thinking either. We don’t live well without hope and our hope cannot be placed in the hands of any other. We cannot move forward without hope, but we cannot look elsewhere for hope or we will be let down. Hope is only found in the God who created it all, including us. And since he created it all, he certainly can be a resting place for our hope.
Hope in God transcends our circumstances. Hope in God illuminates our path and reminds us we are not alone. Hope in God gives us the courage to take one more step when we feel too frightened to even lift our foot – as if we were stuck in cement and it had already hardened around us.
As we enter the holiday season, there is so much to celebrate. There is so much to look forward to discovering. There are good times ahead. But that doesn’t mean we will all celebrate. It doesn’t mean the holiday season is great for us all. It doesn’t mean there aren’t people struggling with grief, loneliness, fear, and hurt. That’s all the more real than the celebrations for so many. And this year everything seems to be amplified.
But what isn’t lost in it all is hope. It isn’t a hope in things getting better. It isn’t a hope we will get what we want. It isn’t a hope in people or places or situations. Hope is found in God who reminds us that no matter what, there is always a reason to take one more step. There is always a reason to pick up your head and see his glory. There is always a reason to lift your eyes to the hills – that really is where your help comes from. If God made the heavens and the earth – if he cared enough to make you – then he cares enough to provide you a wellspring of hope.
May your heart be lifted ever so gently to the God of Hope. May he surprise you with glimmers of goodness. May your spirits find rest and strength so hope can be discovered, one more time.
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
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Her days had been long, searching for the promise. She had all but given up hope this would actually happen. She kept pressing forward in life, never giving up on God. He must have a different plan, she must have thought. He may have had other ideas. She couldn’t quite understand it or put it all together. But there was something to all of this. And she remained faithful. That’s who she was, that’s what she did. She was a woman of faith – always had been, always would be. She had the lineage of faith as well. Her name meant something. People knew who she was. She was highly regarded and respected among many. She had married well and she loved God with her all. Yet there was still something missing.
She was getting older. As each year ticked by, she let the spark of a new day fade. It was okay. She was embarrassed. She couldn’t believe it. But it was okay. She would be okay. They would be okay. They didn’t have children but they had each other and they had God – and that had to be enough. They loved each other.
We can miss her in the whole story. She can get lost in the background of it all. Yet she is the one. She is the promised one. She is the one to watch. Her name is Elizabeth. Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron. She is from the priestly line – from the original first priest. This was her heritage. Faithful service was how she was taught and how it all came together. For her to marry a priest only seemed fitting – the way it should be. Yet, in their faithful service, they still had no children. Their dedication had not given them the one thing they wanted more than all the rest.
That changed, though. There was a change in the air. Something big was about to happen. Anticipation filled the room where the priest, Zechariah, served. Anticipation filled their home as a promise would somehow be fulfilled. Her time was not done. Her life was not complete, not yet. God still had something for her. Elizabeth was needed. She was an important, vital part of God’s ultimate, greater plan. She would become a mother. She would be a mother to someone that would surely change the whole landscape of faith. He would be called and sent by God. He had a mission. Elizabeth felt it. Her life was changing moment by moment as this new baby grew inside of her. Her womb was filled with anticipation and grace. There was more to come. Hope was still to be discovered.
Gabriel brought the news. Elizabeth stayed put. She waited for direction. She looked for the next step. She searched for what God has planned. If he could do this – this whole baby thing – he surely had something incredible ahead. She was to wait. She was to hope again. She was to anticipate the goodness of all that was ahead. God had given her an amazing gift. One of the most amazing gifts came in a visit. This visit brought things into perspective. She was a woman of faith. She got that God was at work. She understood that things were much more connected than she could see. And so this visit was confirmation – times were changing and her baby had something to do with this. Let’s look at just a small part of her story.
Luke 1:39-45
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
Mary was at the door – her young cousin, Mary. Mary was so young and Elizabeth so not. Yet, these two women had a connection that would last a lifetime – and beyond. She had an experience that changed everything. Mary walks in the door, Elizabeth can’t calm the excitement of the baby she is carrying in the womb. And Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. It is Elizabeth that brings the proclamation. It is Elizabeth that understands there is something monumental about this visit – about this baby – about her cousin. There is something so much bigger than any of them could have ever imagined. She is privileged to not only carry a child, but to experience the woman that would carry the Lord. It was more than any of them could explain. They became a comfort, a peace, and a strength for one another. They were at different life stages but going through similar struggles. Mary, a soon to be young mother who was unmarried and inexperienced. Elizabeth had wisdom, courage and strength on her side – but didn’t actually have any children of her own. Both pregnant – both finding their way through unknown territory. Both lean on each other – strengths and weaknesses combine. Hope is finally being renewed. God was up to something big. And their two sons would be the forces behind it all. This is something huge!
In case you had not picked up on it, Advent begins today. The multi week wandering that brings us to the manger and the fulfillment of a promise. Promises fulfilled is what it is all about. Anticipation of the great things to come fill the air. Excitement becomes paramount as new life is apparent. We see Elizabeth today – for her hope and excitement of all that is ahead. We see her for her motherly wisdom and her Godly faith. We see her for all that she is – a child of God, used in a mighty way, to bring life to a promise to come. What an exciting and scary time – all rolled into one.
As we approach this Advent, we are dealing with extraordinary times. Things are out of place. We are not as we ever have been. Caution fills the air. Uneasiness is the sign of the times. We can be easily concerned about all the future holds. Times are not all that much unlike the times of Elizabeth. There is danger ahead. There is more to take in than she could possibly understand. What she can do is hope. She can hope that God is in this. She can hope that God hasn’t forgotten his promises. She can live in a hope of new life. Her hope is not based on her circumstances. Her hope is not based on the powers that be in her world. Her hope is not in those she loves that surround her. Her hope has to be based in God. Her hope has to be focused on God who calls her his beloved. Her hope can only be in God – all else will let her down. There is too much at stake. She can only hope in him.
Where is our hope? What hope do we have? What promises are still being fulfilled all around us? God has not stopped working, even when we miss it all. God is still creating. God is the only place for our hope. He is the only One who fulfills the real hope. May we find hope in HIM today.
How many times can I possibly start over? As I headed out for my walk/jog this morning, I couldn’t help but laugh a little – Day One AGAIN. I can’t tell you how many times I have begun the count. I train for something and either the event happens or I get sidelined. So, I start again. In this latest case, I was doing so well at running a little every day. And then…I fell. I fell hard and that took a toll on my body for a few days. I am fine. All heals and I move forward. So I look out at the morning sky and start Day One, one more time. And it is okay.
We have lots of Day One events in our lives. We begin a new health journey – then a holiday comes or a special event or there are cookies in the house. So we start over again the next day. We decide we will make a change for the better that will improve our health. We do so well until we don’t. So we start again, again, and again. We decide we will improve our spiritual health and we begin that journey. Sometimes it takes and sometimes it doesn’t.
Life can feel like a whole bunch of Day One starts. And these can be seen from a couple of different perspectives. It can be completely and utterly frustrating. How many times can we actually mess up? How many times will I get hurt before I just quit starting again? Do we really care about eating well anyway? Why not just give up on this whole journey anyway? That’s one approach – but it sure isn’t all that helpful. It really just digs our hole of despair a little deeper.
Our other option is to look at this as a gift. We get the privilege to start again. We have an amazing opportunity to make a difference one more time. We cannot worry about tomorrow. Past failures are just that – PAST. What we have is today – Day One – and it is good. Day One means we start clean and fresh. There is an excitement that promises are ahead. Possibilities are ever before us. It won’t be easy, but it won’t be accomplished without a Day One. So, get up and get started. This IS a new Day One! And I can’t wait to see what it holds.
May you find joy in your Day One. May you be filled with hope no matter where your journey takes you. May you find peace as you seek to do what is good, right, just, and loving. Now, get up and start your Day One!
Today’s focus scripture is God’s Day One for each of us- and it is quite amazing.
Focus Scripture:
Genesis 2:4b-7
In the day that the LordGod made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; 6 but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.
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There are simple pleasures we miss because we can “buy” it. Last night, we were watching the traditional Christmas movies that bring so much joy. One of the advertisements was for a brand of cinnamon rolls. The instantly brought back childhood memories of Sunday mornings. My mom would pop those in the oven and when they came out, icing would run down their warm sides. It was a big hunk of goodness. Just looking at the commercial made me want cinnamon rolls again (so yes, the advertiser was completely successful). Wendy started to look up recipes for me. As a vegan, it is challenging to find pre-made food that doesn’t contain dairy. The search began. It wasn’t long before she discovered an easy recipe with simple ingredients we had at home. Baking as much as I have lately does lend itself to having the right ingredients. I decided I would get up this morning and make them.
Now, I could have simply gone to the store and bought the product. It would have taken much less time. But I would have missed the simple joys of the process. I would have missed watching the yeast activate. I would have missed rolling out the dough and sprinkling on the sugar and cinnamon. I would have missed cutting them and placing them in the container. But mostly, I would have missed the joy of just seeing it all come together in such an exciting way. I would have missed the process.
There are so many things we can just buy. We don’t have to put much of any effort into anything. Someone else will do all the work for us. But we miss something when we buy it in the store. We miss the experiences that our parents and grandparents had. We miss watching dough being formed right beneath our fingers. We miss seeing the success of something we had a part. I do understand that we are all time crunched. And there are some amazing bakers that are local we should absolutely support. But maybe, just on occasion, we take the time to do it ourselves. We may find simple joys in the process we would have missed. And we may find goodness waiting right around the corner that we didn’t even have to buy.
Focus Scripture:
Genesis 1:29-31
29 God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
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Wisdom often comes when we least expect it. It appears in the simplest of places, people or things. Charlie Brown and his gang have been a source of wisdom for many years, all hidden under the cover of cute, entertaining cartoons. As I watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving again this year, I couldn’t help but smile at lessons taught when I pay attention. There is so much good packed in the humor.
Think about it – different people from different backgrounds sitting around one large table. It is filled with good friends, a history lesson, and the best meal the host could prepare. What more could one ask for? At first there is judgment – how could Charlie Brown serve such mess? Where are all the traditional foods? What kind of Thanksgiving dinner is this anyway? They quickly find out, though – Thanksgiving is more than eating, just being thankful for being together is enough.
Togetherness is not something we are able to do much right now. We could be rightfully upset about it. But we can also appreciate the times we do have. The lesson of enjoying sitting around a table becomes abundantly clear when we are not able to gather as we once did. The lesson of family and fellowship shines a little brighter as this has been overshadowed by disease. But this is not the end. There will be times for togetherness.
As we look forward to better times, may we not forget the lessons we are learning through these challenging times. May we not forget how much we long to sit at a table and simply enjoy the company of one another. May we not forget how much family and fellowship mean to us. May we strive to spend more time with those we love whenever we have the opportunity. And may we not take simple gifts for granted – living grateful every single day.
Focus Scripture:
Acts 2:42
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
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Our phones and computers almost demand upgrades. They seem to crash and act up if we are not willing to comply. Alerts flash on our screen demanding our attention. Sometimes, we don’t want to upgrade. Sometimes, we like the way things already are. We know how the system works. We like how our phone operates. We don’t want more features or whatever special items they are taunting us with. We simply want it to stay the same. Except, this isn’t an option. You will upgrade or they will shut you down.
When we finally press the button and the update takes place or we finally buy the upgrade, there are many things we will find frustrate us. Where is THAT button I always use? Why does it make me do this NOW? Why am I required to do this when I never have before? We can get frustrated. But inevitably, there are always little things which we enjoy, that we find we are really excited to see. So there are positives and negatives. We just wish we could have it the way it was before the changes.
I feel like this about Thanksgiving. We are forced to upgrade. We can’t help it. There isn’t anything we did to make it this way. And, it is not all bad. There are some really awesome new features. But we really just want it the way it was. We move forward with what we have, though. This Thanksgiving, I received a special gift – the upgrade I didn’t know would happen, but was glad to see the result.
My Grandma is no longer able to cook like she once did. She is an outstanding cook. Her cakes, pies and goodies are so good your stomach growls just walking in her home. She has cooked these sweet treats for longer than I have been alive. The memories of her goodies lining her spare bedroom is one I will always treasure. But that isn’t where we are now. I have a Thanksgiving tradition of eating an entire Sweet Potato Pie that she makes every year. Note: Don’t judge my tradition and I won’t judge yours. The Pie is amazing and I devour it annually (often I get one at Christmas too, but that’s my business). At lunch not too long ago, Grandma broke the news that she would not be able to make my pie. In my usual stubbornness, I told her she was wrong and there would be pie. She proceeded to tell me why she was right – I interjected with a solution. She would supervise, tell me the ingredients, and I would be her hands. And that’s exactly what we did. I have a Sweet Potato Pie this Thanksgiving. But even more important than the pie, I spent time with my precious Grandma, soaking up her wisdom of cooking. Thanksgiving 2.0 isn’t all bad.
This Thanksgiving, you may find a lot looks different and you don’t like it. But find the treasures hidden in the upgrade. They are always there, even if they seem minor. We might find that the gifts of Thanksgiving shine a bit brighter in the most unusual of times.
Happy Thanksgiving to YOU! I am grateful for you. I appreciate your time to read the Devotion. It means more to me than you know.
Blessings to you all.
Focus Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
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I had someone tell me yesterday that the word of the year is ‘pivot’ due to all the changes we have to accommodate. This is even more evident as we head into Thanksgiving. I hear the lament of so many, and I am with you. Thanksgiving is not as it should be. People should not gather together – something that this holiday is built upon. It is not safe to sit around the table – the basic premise of it all. It seems out of sorts, even uncomfortable. One approach is to buck the entire system and do it anyway. The problem is that people’s lives could be at stake – for a meal. This hardly seems logical, even for Thanksgiving feasts. Another option is to scale it down and cover it up. Have fewer people over and wear masks as much as possible. Or we could simply eat at home with the people we see all the time. I must say none of these options are particularly appealing. They are frustrating. Plans change and we don’t like it.
We could sit around ticked off all day today, tomorrow, and for a while. We could complain on social media about how mad we are. We could take out our frustrations on the leaders that are trying to keep us safe. We could kick, scream and throw a tantrum (I see some of y’all do that on social media – it’s ugly). OR…and get this…we could simply GIVE THANKS. I know, it may sound corny. But is the food all there is to this holiday? Is the fellowship all this holiday is really about? Maybe this year is a reprieve where we can reconsider what it really means to give thanks. Maybe this year we roll with the punches and come out stronger, more appreciative for the time we have been given. Maybe, we simply live grateful.
Living grateful is not as simple as it seems. Too often, we are driven by greed or selfishness. We live in a constant state of want. Even when we try to think of others, we are met with comparison and envy. To live grateful means we simply look at all we have been given and find a point of contentment. Wherever we are and whatever we have, to be content. When we reach a point of contentment, we begin to find we can give. We can serve. We can help others. We can give thanks. We don’t need any more than what we have. We likely don’t even need all we have. When we live grateful, our perspective begins to shift to helping others rather than taking something for ourselves. We begin to be thankful for the simplest but most precious gifts in our lives. And in turn, we give.
Rather than complain, may we give thanks. Instead of whining, may we see all we have. Instead of yelling at others, may we express thanksgiving. May we give rather than take. May we love rather than hate. May we find contentment and share with others. And my we have an outstanding Thanksgiving – living grateful.
Focus Scripture:
Philippians 4:11-13
11 Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
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There is always a message in coffee. It can be simply a morning smile in a simple cup. It can also be the message of the cup. Today, as I was searching for my cup of the day, the ‘kind heart’ mug stuck out to me. At this point in my life, the coffee cups I have kept have meaning. Either the message on the cup is a reminder or the giver of it. Each time I am greeted with a message as I drink in the goodness.
I need reminders along the way. I need cues to help me remember. I wouldn’t say I am forgetful. Rather, I find I am overloaded. The things that often scream loudest for my attention are the things that embed in my memory. But these aren’t always the things I wish to store. So I have little things along the way to remind me of the good. My coffee cups are just an example.
Now is the time when we really begin paying special attention to memories. The holidays are upon us. We may find ourselves filling trees with ornaments of years past. We may be cooking recipes of those long gone but not forgotten. Thanksgiving is, in itself, a whole big light show of remembering. We are to remember all we are grateful. We are to give thanks for those people, places, and experiences which have helped to shape and form who we are. We are to live thankfully for all that is behind and all that is ahead. It is a holiday built on remembering. It is one big cue to remember.
Here is something to remember today – something to carry with you. YOU ARE LOVED…YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That is something to put on your coffee cup or hang over your mirror. It is something you should carry with you every day. Why? We should remember this because it is true. It is right. It is real. Remember that God created you, shaped you, formed you. He has not left you alone on the journey. That is something to remember and something for which to give thanks!
Focus Scripture:
Psalm 77:11-12
11 I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wonders of old. 12 I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.
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This weekend was full of adventures I treasure. I am grateful for friendships, time in God’s good creation, and even a little rest. Yesterday, I decided it would be good to take my buddy, Leo, to the Cliffs for a walk. I cannot recall him ever being quite so excited. He actually ran in place right in front of his leash – as if that was carrying him somewhere. He was beyond ecstatic. I knew I was in for an adventure from the beginning.
We headed to the Cliffs, windows down, Leo’s jaws flapping ever so happily in the wind. I did have a goal of how many miles I wanted to complete and planned to take it easy. I did a lot on Saturday (at least for me) and this was a recovery. Not much ever goes according to plan in my world. But we arrived and began our trek. It was an absolutely amazing day to be outside, so no complaints there at all. We took the first trail, connected to the second, and I thought it would be good to end with one more. Note – anytime I think I should do one more, it is almost always one too many. We took a trail I had not been on in a while – and couldn’t remember where it took me – and couldn’t remember how long it was. It ended up taking me further than I planned and felt like it would never end. We pressed on anyway – like we had a choice. I’m too stubborn to turn around.
This particular trail merges with other trails. The rising waters of the Neuse shut down some of the paths. So I opted for the one that went up. That’s all good unless you just want to be back at your car. That’s when it happened. I don’t remember why or how, I just remember the slow, painful motion that left me face down in the dirt. Some say that falling is the easy part – but I am not so sure. I felt like I bounced off the ground and hit again. Leo felt sorry for me, came back to rescue me, and I attempted to get up. All I could think was how embarrassing it would be to lay on this trail until someone made their way. Thankfully I was able to get up, but not without some serious effort and feeling really beat up. Did I mention we were on the trail going up? That was fun. We did make it back to the car, eventually. And I am still moving – just slowly.
I was reminded on my adventure that falling down does hurt. It hurts when we have plans and all is moving along well – only to be met with a sudden crash that derails our entire vision. It is painful to move through life only to be knocked down by forces we cannot even see. Falling down is hard. And then we have a choice. We either get up – even if it is slowly and filled with difficulty. Or we lay there until someone comes and forces us up. And even if we decide that we will get up – there is still an upward journey to go. The good news is we are not alone. Leo was my guide on this journey. He was not going to leave my side. He would make sure I had a reason to keep getting up and climbing.
As crazy as this sounds, be grateful for the Leo in your life today. There are those who love you and support you all along the way. There are those who see you fall and are there to cheer you on as you arise, one more time. Falling is hard, but we get up because there is so much more that awaits. And – maybe you are a Leo for someone else. Keep cheering, keep motivating, keep supporting. Falling down is hard, but it is even harder without Leo.
Focus Scripture:
Proverbs 27:17-18
17 Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the witsof another. 18 Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored.
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They were grouped together like they had no meaning. They were categorized and set aside – to be avoided at all costs. From the beginning, they were labeled. The things they were called, among many, were diseased, disgusting, deformed, unclean, destroyed, forgotten. They had something that separated them physically from everyone else – and the community never failed to remind them of that. They were the unseen, the excluded. Keep them at a distance and all is better for it. That was the norm until Jesus. He saw differently. He saw humanity, God’s beloved, the created and adored. He saw so much more. He had not lumped them together into some group to avoid. He reached out – literally – where no one dared to reach. He loved where no one dared to love. He restored where all had been taken away.
Jesus probably shouldn’t have been in this part of town. No one who was holy would have dared such a thing. He risked being exposed. If he was exposed to the things which would make him unclean, how could he function in his role of priest and prophet? He couldn’t even enter the temple. That was where he belonged, in the church, not out in the streets among these people. And yet, in his predictable unpredictability he wanders to places he should not have been. It’s like he doesn’t know the rules of the religious – or maybe just doesn’t care.
In this part of town, he risks being too close to those people – you know, the people who were nasty and gross. They weren’t the same. They were invaluable, separated because of being unworthy to live with everyone else. And that’s what happened – see, if Jesus had stayed where he should, he wouldn’t have risked being in any proximity to them. And here they were, hollering to the top of their lungs for mercy. Have mercy, that had to be embarrassing. It was a shame that someone as holy as Jesus would have to be exposed to such low life. And yet Jesus doesn’t see it this way at all. He doesn’t see their diseases. He doesn’t smell their poverty. He hears their cries. These are his people – even though at least one of them is from a different group. You heard that right – one of the people hollering is not like the others. He not only has been excluded by the fear of others, he has been thrown into a group which he would not belong on any normal basis. I guess they figured that when you are excluded and unworthy – you might as well throw them all in the same barrel together. But again, they were Jesus’ people. So Jesus sees them – and he does something about it.
Luke 17:11-19
11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesuswas going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
Healing can bring on many different reactions. It can evoke deep cleansing tears of a life that has been restored. It can open many doors of joy and elation about what can be one more time. Healing can make us want to jump right back into the life that had been snatched away like a thief in the night. It can make us want to get on with life so quickly so we forget where we once were.
Up until this point, this group had been ripped away from their families and thrown into exclusion. They had lost all they once held so dear. They had not touched or hugged their loved ones in so very long. The idea of embracing anyone else had been so far from their minds that this would be a welcome reunion for the ages. Why would anyone delay such a reunion? Why would you want to put off what they thought would never happen? Life has been restored. Life that had been ripped away had been handed back in an act of love that no one could have imagined. Why wouldn’t we all run to our loved ones in such joy that all else faded behind? It seems perfectly reasonable to me.
But there was one who thought differently. That mercy he has so shouted for, longed for, begged for, and dreamed about had come true. That mercy he had all but given up on had been given. It had been given in such a big dose that he did what came natural to him. He ran back as fast as he could. His feet had been restored so he ran. He was out of breath, panting as he fell on his face just to say thank you. It was more than words. It was an expression of everything he had long held inside. It was a genuine gratitude for a transformation no one could have seen coming. He could not run to his family before he ran to the Mercy Giver. His life could not begin until he had turned back to give thanks for a life that would never be again. To say this was life changing would have been the ultimate understatement. Mercy had restored a hope, a future, and a joy that no one could quite explain. So he ran back to the Giver of Mercy before moving forward with his new life. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Jesus asks an interesting question – not of the man – but of the whole situation. He is not asking this man what happened to the rest. Jesus just kind of throws it out there. He states the obvious. He mentions what others may have sensed. All of them had been healed but one returns. And the one who returns isn’t even the expected one. The one who really shows the most gratefulness for his restoration is the one who was not a Jew. He was already the excluded, even in his regular life. He was already held separate by the Jews – at arms length – avoided. He was already among the undesirable. He had just sunk to the lowest of lows. And here he is, returning. Maybe his restoration was even more beautiful because a Jewish leader had seen him, recognized his value, and provided mercy. Maybe he was so overwhelmed with thankfulness that gratitude seemed the only answer. The others didn’t return – they went on with their new life – their healed life. They went forward. This man did too, but not without first giving thanks. And a bonus – he was healed from the inside out. His restoration was more than could meet the eye. Sure his skin was restored, but so was his heart, his hope, and his joy. He had been given more than he ever lost. Jesus saw a beloved. And Jesus provided mercy.
Our lives may look quite different if our gratitude brought us to the feet of the Giver of Mercy. We may find ourselves not being able to move forward without first bowing to the One who chose to restore. Gratitude may come as a natural response to opportunity for a life we didn’t even know was possible. Gratitude is more than the simple exclamation of thank you. It is a life lived knowing that the change was due to the great Giver of Mercy. May we live in gratitude.
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 
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