"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 7 October 2016 with Scripture Luke 17:11-19

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 7 October 2016 with Scripture Luke 17:11-19
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Luke 17:11 On his way to Yerushalayim, Yeshua passed along the border country between Shomron and the Galil. 12 As he entered one of the villages, ten men afflicted with tzara‘at met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out, “Yeshua! Rabbi! Have pity on us!” 14 On seeing them, he said, “Go and let the cohanim examine you!” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, as soon as he noticed that he had been healed, returned shouting praises to God, 16 and fell on his face at Yeshua’s feet to thank him. Now he was from Shomron. 17 Yeshua said, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found coming back to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And to the man from Shomron he said, “Get up, you may go; your trust has saved you.”[Complete Jewish Bible]
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"What hurts?" I think of a parent soothing a crying child, asking them to point to what it is that needs attention. Sometimes it's not just the scrape of a knee or a bump on the head which needs a healing touch. Sometimes the crying child needs compassion, or encouragement, or counsel. Not all the things which hurt us in this life are merely physical. They can have physical symptoms, but the deeper aches of our hearts need attentive healing as well.
All of our hurts can find a healer in a compassionate God. Just like the lepers in our story, Jesus healed not just their physical ailments, he also made them whole in restoring them to communities, and easing the ache which remained to make them well. Take a breath today, in your prayer point to what it is that aches as you hear a compassionate God asking, "What hurts?" 
God our parent, heal our wounds, those we see and those we cannot. May we turn to you knowing your compassion and your might to save. Amen.
Erika Benson Buller, '14
Associate Pastor, Bethel Lutheran Church, Wahpeton, N.D.
Luke 17:11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee.
12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance,
13 they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
14 When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean.
15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.
16 He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan.
17 Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they?
18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"
19 Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." [New Revised Standard Version] 
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