Coronavirus - why should we give thanks to God?

[surefooted]

Because of Covid-19, we're living in times of uncertainty and fear, which makes it easy for us to focus on our own immediate needs. I had been fearful and introspective about many things, but  the Lord recently reminded me to give Him thanks for the things that He has blessed me with (and they are many!). This is important because it has helped me to put my trust in Him: in other words, to have faith. The Israelites, on the other hand, didn't and look where it got them, and then there were the 9 lepers...

In Luke 17 only one leper returned to give thanks to Jesus, and Jesus said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well."

Does this mean the other 8 lepers who didn't return were no longer healed?

No. I believe their healing was not revoked. But the leper that returned, Jesus said to him, "...Your faith has made you well." Now why would Jesus waste His breath and state the obvious? The word for "well" here is SOZO which means save, saved, whole, healed, preserved or well.

Jesus's ultimate mission is the ministry of reconciliation: to save that which was lost (Luke 4:18-19), that we might not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).  To be saved, you need faith. To have faith is to have a personal revelation of who Jesus is. Jesus performed many miracles and healing so that people might believe in (see) Him. By returning and falling down at Jesus's feet worshipping Him, this one leper had faith. Unfortunately the other 8 were only interested in the healing and not in the Messiah.

By showing gratitude this one grateful leper received not only fleeting healing but also eternal salvation, because he saw that Jesus was more than just a prophet, a healer or a rabbi who healed people. By giving thanks, he received a personal revelation of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God.

We should be like this one returning leper, especially during these trying times, lest we become like the 8 lepers or the Israelites... Don't ever stop. Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!!

[RonaldBruno]

Good point. GOD is sovereign. He is at work bringing us through the fire, testing our faith. This is only the "beginning of sorrows". Famine will come to East Africa next after the locust plagues eat ha e the crops of over a dozen countries.

 Then wars. If we can't handle this, we will fail with the rest. The Great Tribulation will cause stress like never before. Jesus Second  coming will judge the world and rid the world of sin. We must persevere - at least through part of it, before we are taken out and before the Bowls of Wrath.

"God cause all things to work for good, for those who love the Lord, for those who are called to His purpose." Rom. 8:28

I am hopeful and thankful.

[Buddy D. Mouse]

It was 10 lepers who were healed

The one who came back to thank Jesus was a Samaritan

Luke 17:12-19