“Now a leper came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said.
Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. Immediately Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning. He told him, “See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
But as the man went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still they kept coming to him from everywhere.” —Mark 1:40-45
Jesus is always willing to heal the broken and repentant–looking through His loving eyes of compassion upon frail fallen flesh. He remains graciously available to touch the untouchable and cure the incurable. His ears are attentive to the “Help me” and “Heal me” and “Save me” cries of the unhealthy, lonely, weary, broken, and other conditions that plagues mankind. The question for each of us is: Are we willing to let Him? Do we want the freedom of His healing touch? Do we want really what He so graciously offers? Sadly, some prefer to remain in their bondage–wallowing in pain and sorrow–when all that is needed is to ask, seek, and find.
“Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.” Asa was so angry at the prophet, he put him in jail. Asa also oppressed some of the people at that time.” —2 Chronicles 16:9
Our verses in Mark today instruct us in how to approach Jesus in our infirmities–both physical and spiritual. The leper clearly demonstrates the humility. We must empty ourselves before we are able to be filled. One does not get much lower in humbling themselves than coming forward to Christ on his knees begging. If we wish to receive God’s mercy and grace, we must approach Him with humility and reverence. In God’s way, humility precedes exaltation:
“And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand.” —1 Peter 5:6
This leper had a firm belief in Christ’s achieving power–he believed that Jesus would heal him personally. Jesus loves each individual exactly where they are–stooping low to meet them there. Never forget, Jesus cares greatly about each and every person–our misery is ever the object of His great mercy and tenderness. In unwavering faith, the leper believed that if it was Jesus’ will for him to be clean, he would indeed be clean. Never doubt that God is always good and that it is His desire to do good to His children! It doesn’t matter if presently our circumstances are bad–the promise still holds true. All is grace with God. We are to pray that our trials are mere trails to His loving arms, and our pathway of stones, stairways to heaven. Our Lord will either change our circumstances or change us in them–strengthening, empowering, and lightening our loads that we may rise above them, ever becoming more like Him.
Jesus’ words to the healed leper emphasized the importance of the well man’s immediate obedience. His testimony to the priest and the religious leaders of the day would have been a powerful witness–the cleansing of a leper being an undeniable messianic sign. There is nothing more powerfully convincing than one’s own testimony! What God has done in and through the life that speaks it–who can refute it?
Take It to Heart
Obedience to the Master’s Word is the one of the hallmarks of our love and appreciation for what Christ has done for us. Jesus’ interest in the leper did not merely lie in healing his physical condition. This miracle pointed to who Christ really was–God’s Son.
“Everyone needs compassion; Love that’s never failing; Let mercy fall on me–
Everyone needs forgiveness; The kindness of a Saviour; The hope of nations–
Saviour–He can move the mountains; For my God is mighty to save; He is mighty to save–
Forever–Author of salvation; He rose and conquered the grave; Jesus conquered the grave.” —Reuben Morgan,“Mighty to Save”
Further Reflections
“This morning let us hear the Lord Jesus speak to each one of us: ‘I will help thee’. It is but a small thing for Me, thy God, to help thee. Consider what I have done already. What! Not help thee? Why, I bought thee with My blood. What! Not help thee? I have died for thee; and if I have done the greater, will I not do the less? Help thee! It is the least thing I will ever do for thee; I have done more, and will do more. Before the world began I chose thee. I made the covenant for thee. I laid aside My glory and became a man for thee; I gave My life for thee; and if I did all this, I will surely help thee now. In helping thee, I am giving thee what I have bought for thee already. If thou hadst need of a thousand times as much help, I would give it thee; thou requirest little compared with what I am ready to give. ‘Tis much for thee to need, but it is nothing for me to bestow. “Help thee?” Fear not! If there were an ant at the door of thy granary asking for help, it would not ruin thee to give him a handful of thy wheat; and thou art nothing but a tiny insect at the door of my all sufficiency. “I will help thee”.’ O my soul, is not this enough? Dost thou need more strength than the omnipotence of the United Trinity? Dost thou want more wisdom than exists in the Father, more love than displays itself in the Son, or more power than is manifest in the influences of the Spirit? Bring hither thine empty pitcher! Surely this well will fill it. Haste, gather up thy wants, and bring them there–thine emptiness, thy woes, thy needs. Behold, this river of God is full for thy supply; what canst thou desire beside? Go forth, my soul, in this thy might. The Eternal God is thine helper!” —C. H. Spurgeon