Have mercy on us was the prayer of these ten lepers. The Bible says that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and he passed through Samaria and Galilee. The Bible says: “And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God.” (Luke 17:12-15)
Yesterday we said that mercy gives us access into the grace of God. As I read the story of these ten lepers, I realized the following: They were lepers, they needed healing but there was an obstacle between them and their healing. It is called distance- in fact, social distancing. The only way they could receive their healing was to attend a healing service. But because lepers were unclean, and not allowed in the community of healthy people, in case they expose them to the contagious disease - we are told that they stood afar off. As Jesus was traveling, they were also walking in the opposite way. And seeing him, and knowing that they were unclean, they could not come close so what did they do? From a distance as they were required by law, the Bible says: “They lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (Luke 17:13)
Not that they didn’t say, “Jesus heal us.” They said, have mercy on us because mercy opens the door. When Jesus saw them, He said to them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” (V.14) And as they went, the power of God’s grace was released, and they were all cleansed. The Bible says: "And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed." (V.14)
Those days lepers who had been cleansed from their leprosy had to present themselves to the priest to be thoroughly examined that they were healed. So, when Jesus said, “Go show yourselves to the priest,” mercy already gave them their healing. And as they went, they were healed. I pray that mercy will open the door for the grace of God to work in your life today in the name of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Father in the mighty name of Jesus, I ask for your mercy today
Like blind Bartimaeus, O Lord I cry for mercy, Have mercy on me and my family in the name of Jesus.
Like the ten lepers, O Lord I cry for mercy, Have mercy on me and my family in the name of Jesus.
Every spiritual blindness that is making me not to see my open doors, be removed now in the name of Jesus.