Luke tells us that after Jesus heals the ten lepers He commands them to, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." Jesus said this because the cleansing required objective confirmation. When God heals there is lasting change for the better that is evident to an objective observer. Healing results in lasting verifiable change.
Another factor in healing is that it is not always sudden and dramatic. Healing often happens gradually as we walk obediently in our Lord's Way. Scripture says, 'And as they went, they were made clean.' The lepers are healed as they went on in their journey in obedience to Jesus' direction.
Healing happens as a process on the journey of faith in Christ. When we acknowledge and understand that then we can say to other people, "Please be patient with me. I'm not the person I was and I'm not the person I will be. God isn't finished with me yet."
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten lepers approached Him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming, and He answered, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the Kingdom of God is among you.” Luke 17:11-21
To God be the glory.
Rev. Patricia E. Walker, AlphaChurch.org