Mark 1:40-42 "And there came a leper to
him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou
wilt, thou canst make me clean. (41) And Jesus, moved with
compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be
thou clean. (42) And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the
leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed."
Today's verses show a very compassionate Jesus interacting with one who had lived a life of loneliness due to his physical condition. This leper was consigned to a life where he had to constantly warn others. He had to wear a veil over his face so others could not see the condition of his skin. If others came close to him as he walked along the street, he was commanded to cry out, "Unclean! Unclean!" I often wonder how long had it been since he had been touched by another human being. His disease was so terrible that there was no hope of him being healed.
But Jesus! Ah, there is the difference in life. The leper came to Jesus, begging, kneeling, and worshipping Jesus. He made such a beautiful declaration of faith: "If you will, you can make me clean." There was no doubt of the ability of Jesus; rather, there was the submission to the will of God. If you are willing, I know you can. Then the miracle takes place. Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him. You see, Jesus could have just spoken the words and the man would have been healed. But Jesus touched this man whose heart was broken as well as his skin being broken with the disease. Jesus touched him, not only physically, but He touched him emotionally. Jesus touched him, not only physically and emotionally, he touched him spiritually. Jesus went to the very core of the being of this man and touched him. The man was healed and made whole.
For each of us, there is a "but Jesus" that can make a difference in our lives. We may feel ourselves to be the deepest outcast, "but Jesus.." We may feel the loneliness that this world can throw at us, "but Jesus...." We may feel ourselves without hope in a body that is growing weak, "but Jesus..." Do not ever feel yourself to be as the leper. There is hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Shackled by a heavy burden, 'neath a load of guilty and shame.
But the hand of Jesus touched me
and now I am no longer the same.
He touched me, Oh He touched me!
And oh the joy that floods my soul
Something happened, and now I know
He touched me and made me whole.
Today's verses show a very compassionate Jesus interacting with one who had lived a life of loneliness due to his physical condition. This leper was consigned to a life where he had to constantly warn others. He had to wear a veil over his face so others could not see the condition of his skin. If others came close to him as he walked along the street, he was commanded to cry out, "Unclean! Unclean!" I often wonder how long had it been since he had been touched by another human being. His disease was so terrible that there was no hope of him being healed.
But Jesus! Ah, there is the difference in life. The leper came to Jesus, begging, kneeling, and worshipping Jesus. He made such a beautiful declaration of faith: "If you will, you can make me clean." There was no doubt of the ability of Jesus; rather, there was the submission to the will of God. If you are willing, I know you can. Then the miracle takes place. Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him. You see, Jesus could have just spoken the words and the man would have been healed. But Jesus touched this man whose heart was broken as well as his skin being broken with the disease. Jesus touched him, not only physically, but He touched him emotionally. Jesus touched him, not only physically and emotionally, he touched him spiritually. Jesus went to the very core of the being of this man and touched him. The man was healed and made whole.
For each of us, there is a "but Jesus" that can make a difference in our lives. We may feel ourselves to be the deepest outcast, "but Jesus.." We may feel the loneliness that this world can throw at us, "but Jesus...." We may feel ourselves without hope in a body that is growing weak, "but Jesus..." Do not ever feel yourself to be as the leper. There is hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Shackled by a heavy burden, 'neath a load of guilty and shame.
But the hand of Jesus touched me
and now I am no longer the same.
He touched me, Oh He touched me!
And oh the joy that floods my soul
Something happened, and now I know
He touched me and made me whole.