Be Thankful

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