Miraculous Moments: Day #15 Healing a Leper

            Miraculous Moments

Lent 2025: Day #15

"'But what about you?' he [Jesus] asked. 'Who do you say I am?'" 
~Matthew 16:15
"Unclean." A warning: Keep your distance.
A proclamation that most willingly acknowledge and adhere to the warning.
Not Jesus.--Through Jesus all can be made clean. 

Bible Verse

Luke 5:12-16
"While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, 'Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.'
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' And immediately the leprosy left him.
Then Jesus ordered him, 'Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.'
Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Mark 1:40-45 also records this account.
Verse 45 reveals that the man didn't follow Jesus' order. "Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere."
Interestingly, the spirits submit to Jesus' authority, and yet human disobedience continues. We have free will. The man was healed and couldn't--wouldn't--contain the news; he didn't follow Jesus' wishes. Much like us on a daily basis when we refuse to submit to the guiding authority of Jesus who knows the way better than we; we choose our way--our plan--our desires before God's guidance. The result?

Stories of Jesus bring hope, they bring possibility, they bring action. 

I imagine the following: 
News of Jesus' power and authority had clearly been spreading. So much so that I, a person afflicted with leprosy--forced to live on the outskirts of humanity--had heard the miraculous accounts of Jesus. 

The flicker of hope began. Another story reached my ears. Could this be true? Another story. Would it be possible for me to be healed? Another story and word of Jesus' location. What if I travelled to where He is? Would He see me? How would I approach Him? I don't know--I have to try.

He is in sight.--I approach. I don't get too close before I drop to my knees. The sobbing starts--I barely choke out the words, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

He heard.
He reached out.
He touched.
He spoke, "I am willing."
He commanded: "Be clean."
I was healed.

Almighty Lord, Thank You for hope. Thank You for possibility. Please, help us with the action. We want to live under Your authority. We desire Your healing touch, and we desire to follow Your will.  In Jesus' Name. Amen. 


"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." 
~Hebrews 13:8


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