One of the primary ways we find strength is by seeing Jesus and how much he loves us. For the next few weeks of our guided prayer we are going to take strength by meditating on what Jesus went thru for us. The scripture teaches us that the greatest demonstration of Love is to lay down your life for another. Throughout Jesus’s time on earth he was continually “laying his life down” for us. Each day we’ll take one example of Jesus doing this and ponder it.

SCRIPTURE

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Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 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? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” -Luke 17:11-19 (NIV)

REFLECTION

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(Ponder and grow in your awareness of Jesus’ life of sacrifice by reflecting on the following questions.)

What did you feel when only one leper came back? Were you hurt? Sad? Angry? Did you feel taken advantage of? Did you feel hopeless and discouraged? Did you have to fight with regret for healing those who did not seem to value the gift?

I’m sorry that happened to you Jesus.

This is my opportunity to see you. To thank you. I want to be your friend. To be with you in your suffering. To remain grateful and humble and remember how many times you’ve chosen to have compassion on me even when I didn’t notice your lovingkindness.

I’m sorry they didn’t come back to say thank you. I want to say thank you! Thank you for your compassion to the lepers. Thank you for healing them! Thank you for your continued and steadfast compassion to those who do not notice your goodness. Jesus, I want to be with you in your suffering and see you as you humbly serve me and others everyday. Thank you for fighting the offenses, hurts and temptations in this story and living an unblemished life so you could become my sacrificial lamb.

This is one of the ways I am able to so clearly see you as servant King. Leaving your throne to go to the least of these. That others wouldn’t touch or consider giving the time of day. But you turned it all upside down but loving, healing, and befriending these outcasts.

RESPONSE

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The fact that you did this for me, that you counted all things loss for my sake inspires me and moves my heart toward you in love and worship. That you struggled through the test and came out victorious.

I say with the Apostle Paul:

Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for your sake. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing You Christ Jesus my Lord.

Thankfully my “righteousness” is completely based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ—the very righteousness that comes from God.

I long to know the wonders of Jesus more fully and to experience the overflowing power of his resurrection working in me. I will be one with him in his sufferings and I will be one with him in his death.

Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with him in his resurrection from the realm of death.

Of course I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into Your abundance so that I may reach the purpose that You Jesus Christ have called me to fulfill and want me to discover. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. -Philippians 3 7-14 (NIV, TPT) (Paraphrase as prayer)