Isaiah 54:13, 2 Kings 5:14-17, 2 Timothy 2:8-13, Luke 17:11-19

Isaiah 54:13
All your children will be taught by Yahweh and they will prosper greatly.

Beloved,  You have spoken to me once before through this comforting verse which carries with it such great assurance.   Through this verse You promise not only to be my children's teacher, but You also promise to extend Your marvellous care over them.
Today, my circumstances have changed - I claim this promise not only for my own children and the children in my family but also the 40 new children under my care as a catechist.  I include each one of them in this wonderful promise.

2 Kings 5:14-17

14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan where he washed himself seven times as Elisha had ordered. His skin became soft like that of a child and he was cleansed.

15 Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all his men. He entered and said to him, “Now I know that there is no other God anywhere in the world but in Israel. I ask you to accept these gifts from your servant.”

16 But Elisha answered, “I swear by Yahweh whom I serve, I will accept no­thing.” And however much Naaman insisted, Elisha would not accept his gifts.

Beloved, once we discover You and Your merciful love and boundless compassion, we have to let go of anything and everything that holds us back from giving You the total offering of ourselves.  You take first place in our lives.  You must be above all and before all, always.

2 Timothy 2:8-13

8 Remember Christ Jesus, risen from the dead, Jesus, son of David, as preached in my Gospel. 9 For this Gospel I labor and even wear chains like an evildoer, but the word of God is not chained. 10 And so I bear everything for the sake of the chosen peo­ple, that they, too, may obtain the sal­va­tion given to us in Christ Jesus and share eternal glory. 11 This statement is true:

If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;

12 If we endure with him, we shall reign with him;

If we deny him, he will also deny us;

13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.

Beloved, it is Your glorious resurrection that gives meaning and power to the Gospel.  If You did not rise again, You would have been long forgotten.  It is the fact that You are risen that gives everything else that occured before it eternal significance - Your life, Your passion, Your death, and everything that You said and did.  We now have a sure hope and over 2000 years later, generation after generation receives power through faith and grace.  You are the reason why countless witnesses have been willing to die in order to be able to bring the Good News to all of God's children, the Good News that we are no longer slaves to sin and death but we have been saved in You and by You. In You, we are all sons and daughters of the Eternal Father.  This is the eternal truth for all mankind in all ages.

Luke 17:11-19

• 11 On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was passing along the border between Samaria and Galilee, and 12 as he entered a village, ten lepers came to meet him. 13 Keeping their distance, they called to him, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 Then Jesus said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” Now, as they went their way, they found they were cured. 15 One of them, as soon as he saw he was cleansed, turned back praising God in a loud voice, and 16 throwing himself on his face before Jesus, he gave him thanks. This man was a Samaritan.

17 Then Jesus said, “Were not all ten healed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God but this alien?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go your way; your faith has saved you.”

Beloved, how often we too behave like the nine who did not return to give thanks.  We take so much You do for us for granted.  Each day is filled with little miracles of Your love and tender care and we ignore the fact that Your loving hand is in them all.  For all the times when I have not returned thanks Lord, forgive me and give me a grateful heart.  Give me a heart that sees, appreciates and gratefully acknowledges all Your tender mercy and compassion does for me each day.

Thank You my Beloved.  17 So Naaman told him, “Since you refuse, let me get some sacks of soil from your land – the amount that two mules can carry. I shall use it to build an altar to Yahweh, for I shall not offer sacrifices to any other god but him.