Today is my two year birthday from transplant. It’s not
my real birthday, but it is a day that I am constantly reminded of by doctors
and nurses. And the two year baby shots that I have to receive is another big
reminder, in one way, that I am only two years old. However old I am, one thing
I do know for sure is I am very thankful for the two years I have had. My blood counts are normal and the highest levels since before leukemia. Without
transplant, I would not have had these additional years. More time to spend
with my beautiful bride, walk Jennifer down the aisle, see Brian graduate from
the Air Force Academy, and more years to play with Zachary. I thank God for the
healing I received through transplant. While thinking about this, I was reading
in Luke 17 about Jesus healing ten men with leprosy. All ten men were healed
and experienced an incredible transformation from leprosy to clean skin. But it
is verses 15 and 16 that grabbed my attention: One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a
loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a
Samaritan. Jesus goes on in verses 17-19: Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has
no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith
has made you well.” This story has always amazed me, and even more now that
I experienced my own healing. I always wondered what happened to the other
nine. Did they just carry on with life not spending another moment thinking
about what happened to them? Did they tell anyone else what had happened to
them and give the glory to God? I would not want to be those nine guys who
stood in front of Jesus at the gates of Heaven. I can maybe imagine what that
conversation was like. I want to be like the one who returned. The one who fell
at Jesus’ feet and gave thanks. He was the one who was really restored. The one
who fully experienced all that Jesus had to offer. In addition to healing, this
man experienced salvation. Jesus says “your faith has made you well.” In other
translations it really means “your faith has saved you.” This man experienced
healing and salvation. How much better can it get? I never want to take for
granted what Jesus has done for me. I want to be the one …the one who is
thankful.
Amazed by His Love,
Terence
