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- Oct 26, 2007
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Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Mark 1:40 NKJV
In ancient Israel, you could be wealthy, well married, with a house full of children and yet…if you become leprous, you instantly and permanently lost your lovely wife, your dear family, your luxurious villa, and the blessing and well-being of everyone else you knew and loved. From that moment on, and for the rest of your days, you were a sickly, and often impoverished, exile.
In Bible times, among the Jewish people few diseases provoked more fear than leprosy. You not only lost everyone and everything, but you eventually became disfigured and hideous…the walking dead.
Yet Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record the story of a leprous man who runs up to Jesus, falls on his face, and humbly yet desperately begs Jesus to heal him. The disciples cringe, yet Jesus isn’t afraid of lepers.
Instead, Jesus touches the leper. He heals him. He sends him ahead to testify to the priests and Levites: “Look, I’ve been healed. I can enter the temple again and offer my sacrifices with joy and singing. I’m with my family again. Let’s sacrifice the spotless lamb and feast!”
Prayer: Lord, transform me. May I never doubt Your love for the unlovable.
In ancient Israel, you could be wealthy, well married, with a house full of children and yet…if you become leprous, you instantly and permanently lost your lovely wife, your dear family, your luxurious villa, and the blessing and well-being of everyone else you knew and loved. From that moment on, and for the rest of your days, you were a sickly, and often impoverished, exile.
In Bible times, among the Jewish people few diseases provoked more fear than leprosy. You not only lost everyone and everything, but you eventually became disfigured and hideous…the walking dead.
Yet Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record the story of a leprous man who runs up to Jesus, falls on his face, and humbly yet desperately begs Jesus to heal him. The disciples cringe, yet Jesus isn’t afraid of lepers.
Instead, Jesus touches the leper. He heals him. He sends him ahead to testify to the priests and Levites: “Look, I’ve been healed. I can enter the temple again and offer my sacrifices with joy and singing. I’m with my family again. Let’s sacrifice the spotless lamb and feast!”
Prayer: Lord, transform me. May I never doubt Your love for the unlovable.
