As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”  When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 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 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.” – Luke 17:12-19

No, I don’t have leprosy.  But I do know what it’s like to cry out to the Master for pity.

I’ve dealt with chronic ear pain for three years now.   I wrote a lengthy post a while back giving more details about it, I’ve even had my pastor pray healing over me.  Fast forward to early December of this year, I thought I had an ear infection, so I went to the ENT right away.  He looked in my ears and said, “You have no ear wax.”  (Sorry if that’s gross to any of you, but it’s part of the story!)  “Your ear canals are red and dry, almost like you have eczema in there.  Do cold, wet, windy days drive your ears crazy?”  Do they?!?  Chad has offered to move somewhere warmer because of this.  Then he said these words, which I still can’t believe.

“Just put some hydrocortisone in there with a Q-tip at bedtime.  Should clear right up.”

What’s that?  Three years?  More anti-depressants than I can remember?  Four pills of anti-seizure medication every night for years to manage the pain?  HYDROCORTISONE??  I’ve been asked several times, and the answer is no.  No, I’m not mad that this wasn’t noticed before.  I’m beyond thankful that it has been noticed now.  I’ve been using this for eleven days, and it has been so incredible that I’m having trouble finding words to describe it.  It makes me tear up.  There have been days where my ears hurt so bad I swear I can hear the pain.  But now I have been outside in December, with wind and freezing rain, and no pain.

So, now I get to be the one.  I have the incredible privilege to be the one.  I have been, and will continue to be the one who is running and leaping to Jesus to tell Him “thank you”.  I’ve been wrapping my arms around His neck in prayer telling Him “thank you”.  It’s not because I did anything, or prayed enough, or believed enough.  It’s just because He’s God.  And I’m so thankful He is.