28C22. 2 Kings 5:14-17. Naaman, a powerful and opulent non-Jew, made helpless by his leprosy, submits himself to the power of the God of the Jews and he is made clean. Naaman returns to offer a generous thank-you gift to Elisha, the Jewish prophet, who had given Naaman the instructions for his cleansing but Elisha refuses any gift. Rejecting any other gods, Naaman professes his faith in the God of the Jews.
Luke 17:11-19. Jesus, while on his journey to Jerusalem, the holy city of his Jewish faith, cures ten lepers. The one, who was not of Jesus’ Jerusalem Jewish faith and so considered to be a foreigner, returns to Jesus to show his gratitude by glorifying the God who in Jesus had just given him good health. Jesus “then said to him, ‘Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.’” With the cure of leprosy they all had the good health that they could perhaps enjoy till they day they died; but, with the Samaritan’s thanksgiving, he received the salvation that he could enjoy eternally after leaving life on this earth. It is so natural to just enjoy our everyday good health and pleasant earthly life. However, in turning back to the gracious source of the gift of our daily natural life, with a deep sense of how generous is the God whose generosity we enjoy every day, we open ourselves to live in his generosity for all of eternity.
2 Timothy 2:8-13. Paul wrote that he was suffering for the gospel, “even to the point of chains, like a criminal. Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory.” We rejoice in the salvation that is the being saved from the suffering of ill health that enables us to enjoy life here on earth; but we rejoice infinitely more in that salvation from sin that God gives us that enables us to enjoy life forever.
Psalm 98. “The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.” “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.” From the hand of God and God alone comes at its root all truly good things. We live in eternal thanksgiving to our loving God.