And Then There Was One

June 4, 2015

There’s a story in the Bible in Luke 17:11-19 about JESUS healing the ten leapers.

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a] met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

This story, as all of those in the Bible, is amazing to me.  Yet, it also saddens me.  For over two thousand years GOD has been blessing people here on earth healing us, sparing us from hurt, harm and disaster, restoring us with finances and/or with things that we’ve lost, or the promotion we longed for or a job that we weren’t qualified for but HE gave us favor anyway, yet how many of us have returned to give HIM praise? There’s nothing tricky about this question and it’s not a question that you have to be a rocket scientist to answer.

In our lifetime we have endured tests, trials, tribulations and have come through those tests but where is the testimony?  The test, the trial, the endurance, the pain and yes, the victory isn’t just for us.  Those experiences that we go through good or bad are never for us to keep it under wraps.  The test is for the testimony for the glory of GOD.  There were ten men healed and only one felt the desire to give GOD praise.   This story wasn’t hap hazardly put into the Bible just to add a few more pages. This story in particular, is to remind us of how important our testimony and praise is in glorifying GOD in the presence of those who don’t know HIM.  How often do we share what GOD has done in our lives?  How do we reach the lost, or those on the fence or those who have abandoned their faith if not through our testimonies? 

There are hurting people all around us and spiritual darkness and distress continues to get worse.  This is indeed the signs of the times but we still remain closed mouthed when it comes to sharing our faith and sharing our testimony that just may save a soul.

Christians have an obligation, an unwritten responsibility to testify.  There is value in our life’s stories from our defeats as well as our victories that can bring hope, encouragement and faith to someone who needs to know GOD is alive and well, still sits on HIS throne and is very much in control. 

When we tell someone of the goodness of GOD and what HE has done for us we plant a seed of hope and GOD waters that seed and begins to turn it into faith and faith turns into belief and belief turns into the desire to follow JESUS.  Those seeds (testimonies) draw others to CHRIST.   The tests we face is always for others because without a test, that thing we go through, the thing that we know we couldn’t have gotten through but for the grace of GOD is our testimony, it is our returning, like the one leaper, to praise and thank GOD through our testimony.

We've all had those BUT GOD experiences.  My mother, sister and 15 month old brother and I were in a gas mishap and my brother died when I was 6 they found me near his crib trying to get to him.  I lost my greatest supporter, my grandmother, when I was 12.  My grandfather hung himself a year later.  By the time I was 13 I had a father and 4 step fathers.  I ran away several times.  I had little self-esteem because there was no one to impart hope or encouragement to me.  I started drinking during my teen years. I was on my own by the time I was 16.  I was told I would never be anything, that I was stupid, that he didn’t like me or like being around me by a father that left my mother and I to starve when I was 2 years old and for most of my adult life told me how useless I was. I lost my 16 month old son and 3 other people that I loved in an auto accident when I was 26.  I suffered in my grief for 12 years straight becoming a functional alcoholic.  I have been physically and mentally abused by men that were to protect me.  I’ve been church hurt/work hurt (you know pain and misery you experience on a job that you’re giving 110% to or by your jealous co-workers).  I’ve had multiple health issues and a few life threatening health scares along with other life interruptions BUT GOD brought me out and through every painful incident. My life was anything but stable then JESUS stabilized me,calmed my spirit like HE did the seas, "peace be still."

I AM THAT ONE WHO CAME BACK TO GIVE PRAISE THIS IS MY TESTIMONY.  I went on to get my BS, MS and PhD (the person my father said that would not amount to anything.)  I put the pain of my marriages behind me.  I forgot about the young woman who had low self-esteem and watched GOD take me, mold me and shape me into a child of GOD who continually serves for HIS glory and I’ve made an impact in my community, my workplace, my home and the world because of what I’ve gone through, because of HIS grace.  I have two wonderful children, 5 grandchildren and 1 on the way.  I have a part-time consulting business and GOD has provided me with a house, car and my need.  I am someone that I love because I know GOD loves me and I am no longer bound by low self-esteem.  Prayer works.  There is something in my testimony through my transparency and in revealing my pain, suffering and restoration that is going to help someone in the US, in Poland, in India, in Russia and the other countries that receives this blog realize that there has been BUT GOD MOMENTS FOR THEM THAT NEED TO BE SHARED.  Why is it easier to publicize our weakness and sins while our testimony remains dormant?  SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY BECOME THAT ONE WHO CAME BACK TO GIVE GOD PRAISE and in doing this your life will have impact on the nine that didn’t return. Someone will benefit from your testimony and be encouraged to tell their own. 

GOD BLESS.