Living by our five senses can hinder our walk with God. The very things that God created within us can be barriers to walking with Him. Our sight get focused, our hearing tuned in, we touch, smell and taste things that tantalize us. We are made for God and we are to live where He receives all the glory but we get so distracted.
Let’s look at a story found in Luke 17:11-19 in the Bible. Here we see how our senses can hinder us, just like 10 men in Jesus’ day. Jesus is engaged in His ministry and people are hearing about Him and wanting Him to help them. There were 10 men who suffered with leprosy. In their day, leprosy meant loneliness because of contamination. These 10 men must have heard that Jesus was coming their way.
As He entered the village, from a distance they cried out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” His simple look at them warranted His love. I don’t know about you but I find that pretty amazing! No judgment. No “let’s see if you earned My love” thinking. Just grace which transforms a soul. They heard about Him, recognized who He is and placed themselves where they could have access to Him. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they left to go do what Jesus said, they were cleansed from their illness. Now, wouldn’t you think the ten of them would make a U-turn and high-tail it back to Jesus and thank Him and praise Him? Don’t we like to think so. Don’t we like to think, “I would go back!” But would you? Or should I say, “Do you?”
Nine of those men did what most people do, be happy that they are better and continue on their way. We can liken it to attending church on Sundays. I’m sure they prayed. I would think they were thankful but their thankfulness was misdirected. In their self-confidence they expected to be healed. Expectations can cause a cancer to form within a heart. Only one healed man returned to Jesus and had an exuberant heart that knew where his life came from. Only one! He praised Jesus loudly and fell at His feet thanking Him for what He has done! He understood.
Jesus asked him, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” Giving God all glory, this is what He asks of us. Our human behavior saddens God. His commitment towards us is never returned the same way. Remember from a past blog, God’s love is risky.
For the one man who did return, his faith healed him, inside and out! For the other nine, their outsides may be healed but their insides were full of self. Nine left healed but with dead hearts. The sole one has attained mercy, grace and love from the One who holds life in His hands all because he chose to see beyond his five senses. His life has now been extended beyond the grave.
What has God been doing for you? He is alive and active my friend. Don’t we like to minimize God, pushing Him to the back burner. We would never remove Him completely but we certainly don’t want Him leading. Nine out of ten people walk this way. Read Matthew 7:13-14 to see what God has to say about this.
We question where God is. Why isn’t He listening? Is He hearing me? But He is right here and He promises to never leave us. We are the ones who leave. We leave when we focus on our five senses. We leave when we depend on our own wiring. We trust our own thoughts. We focus on how we think things should be. We live for what tantalizes our fancies. It may be a job. It brings security or prominence. It may be self interests. It’s about enjoyment and what brings me happiness. We leave when we want life to be about us. Yet Jesus did not come for 90% of us and 10% left for us to do what we want. He desires 100%. All or nothing. His call on our lives is one of complete surrendering, to be the one.
We need to remember that God is with us. He loves us and He is always battling on our behalf. His call on our lives is simple, follow and trust knowing He will lead us home. It’s time to let go of our dreams, desires and wants and let God lead us. He will valiantly, I might add.
Carol J German 