The Second Blessing



I am ashamed to admit it, but, I missed it.

For years of studying Scripture and preaching I somehow read right past this and it is so powerful I had to share it with you...

Sometimes Jesus has more than one blessing for us. Often we just miss it or don't seek it out! Maybe we are like CS Lewis once noted that we are far too easily amused or satisfied.

Where is this "second" blessing you ask? Open to Luke 17 (NIV) and read about those famous 10 lepers...
11 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.”

All 10 were healed but one, a Samaritan no less, comes back to thank Jesus personally and, with that thankfulness, Jesus grants a second blessing. He gets not one encounter with Jesus but TWO!

I wonder if Jesus has a few blessings He wants to grant us this season? Hey, it's Thanksgiving time and a good time for gratefulness right? If we are paying attention, maybe Jesus has more blessings in store when we return to Him often to thank Him?

Photo by Ann on Unsplash

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