New Year. New Beginnings.

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, 10 lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out saying, “Jesus, Master, Have mercy on us!“ When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.“

And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus his feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 

Then Jesus asked, “Were not 10 made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God, except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.“

Can you think of the times in your life when your life took a whole new direction? Maybe it was when you graduated from high school or college. Maybe it was when a new person came into your life, such as a spouse, a newborn baby, or simply a new person who became a close friend. Maybe it was when you moved to a new location or took a new job that had you doing something you had never done before.

In this story, we find Jesus traveling with his disciples, and they come upon a group of individuals who are in dire circumstances. They have a disease that, in those times, made them outcasts. But they know who Jesus is, and they have found out what he has done in other places, and for other people. They asked for his help.

In a fashion that is typical of his ministry, Jesus heals them. Jesus gives him a new direction in life, one that they had begged for. They can now return to their normal lives, to their families and friends. This is what they wanted, and they have been truly blessed.

But only one out of the 10 realizes what has just happened to him. Only one, a Samaritan of all people, understands that this wonderful thing was not just a chance occurrence. It was a gift—a gift, directly from Jesus himself. That one person came back to thank Jesus, and to praise God.

There are many times in our lives when we take a new direction. In many cases, the change is exactly what we want, what we have been hoping for, what we have been asking for. Do we, like the other nine lepers, simply recognize our good fortune, and continue on with our lives? Or do we, like the Samaritan, understand that the gift of a new beginning is a gift from God?

Prayer

Our father, in heaven, help us to recognize that the changes that take place in our lives are the gifts of your grace and your love. Help us always to accept him with discerning and thankful hearts. Amen.

This devotion was written by Jim Stovall and read by John Cherry.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.