Grateful, Out Loud

Author: Andrew Comiskey
November 25, 2012
Jesus healed 10 lepers. ‘Only one of them came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan.’  (Luke 17: 15, 16)

The skin protecting his humanity rotting away, his ethnic status scorned by Jews, the leprous Samaritan discovered Almighty Mercy. Not only was he healed of his disease, but of the alienation that had defined his whole life. Jesus rolled away the stone of his entombment; gratitude propelled him out of the grave and back to His Source.

‘Now in Christ Jesus you who were far away have been brought near through the blood of Jesus.’ (Eph. 2:13)

We came back! We the disintegrated, harassed and helpless due to our misinterpretation of same-sex attraction have been cleansed by Mercy Himself. He made a way for us, and we travel back with shouts of thanksgiving to submit our lives to Him. What else can we do? He alone has healed us; He alone has the keys to life. There is no other place we want to be than with Him and His heart of compassion for the lost. Now found, we live only for His ministry of reconciliation.

Gratitude keeps the path clear. Thankfulness alone for the saving Mercy of Jesus keeps our hearts free for His purposes in spite of all that sets itself above Him. Gratitude torpedoes every obstacle to Divine Mercy.

I am equally grateful for my colleagues and former lepers whose noisy gratitude continues to make a way for others to know Mercy. The Body of Christ is a more pure and authentic place because of you. May our gratitude continue to well up and clear the way for many to come home.

‘This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.’ (2Cor 9: 12, 13)
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