Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – Matthew 14-16
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Matthew 8:3
Jesus (stretching out His hand): Of course I wish to. Be clean.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
You probably remember the setting from which these words were spoken. Jesus comes down from the mountainside where He had been teaching and as He walked along, a leper knelt in front of Him and asked to be healed of this dreadful disease. Leprosy couldn’t be cured in Jesus’ day. It meant isolation from the community, from family, from everyone except others plagued by the same disease. Life was miserable for them. They were completely without hope for any future. Unless some miracle took place, their life ended in the caves around the city as they scrounged food from the dumps to stay alive for what little hope they had in those miracles.
But this leper heard about this man called Jesus, Joshua, Savior. He heard stories that He healed by His touch and sometimes by just His spoken word. Only God could speak creative acts such as these, but this man… The stories were everywhere. The buzz about Jesus around every well and watering place overtook every other conversation. Who was this man that came on the scene out of that little hole in the wall, Nazareth, and made fools of the Pharisees when they tried to trap Him in their questions.
So this leper came in desparation. He broke all the rules. He was unclean. His sores ran and his skin bled. His fingers and toes no longer felt the pain we feel when we injure ourselves. His case could be called extreme. But this leper wanted something more than the sentence of prolonged agony ending in sure death. He broke through the crowded lane and fell at Jesus’ feet.
When people saw the leper, they probably ran out of his way. No one wanted to be close to this diseased individual. No one wanted to catch what he had. No one wanted to face the prospect of living out the rest of their days in agony and alone. The leper doesn’t impose on the Lord. “Lord, if you wish to, please heal me and make me clean.” I like that. How often to we come to the Lord in prayer demanding our way. God, you just have to do this for me. Lord you just have to do that for me. But the leper understood exactly who He addressed that day. Lord, if you wish. If it pleases you. If it fits into your plans. It my small request doesn’t take you away from your greater work. Would you mind taking just a little time away from your journey and heal me?
Is that how you approach God with your requests? I’ll admit, most of the time I don’t. He invites us to come boldly and most of the time I do. I think we’re probably all guilty of too often coming too boldly with our requests and forgetting the humility this leper demonstrates as he comes to Jesus with his personal need. Lord, if you will, please heal me and make clean.
And I love Jesus’ answer. “Of course I wish to. Be clean.” God never meant for death to enter the world. That was our doing. God never wanted disease to come to us. That was a consequence of our failure. God didn’t want us to find ourselves cast out and alone. That came about as a result of our disobedience. We let sin in and corrupted His creation. Does God want to fix it. Yes. But God is still holy and just. Sin cannot reside around Him. There must be a redeemer to buy us out from the slavery of sin and into His family.
The good news is He paid that price. He redeemed us with His shed blood. But we must accept that redemption. He doesn’t put shackles on our feet and drag us into His kingdom. He paid the price, but asks us to voluntarily follow Him. He lets us choose the path we take. Will He cleanse us and make us free from the dirt and filth of sin? Absolutely! But we must come to Him the way the leper came to Him. The leper knew his condition. He didn’t care what others thought about him coming forward to Jesus. He knew they would talk about his breaking the rules. He assumed some what talk about how terrible he was to expose others to his disease by coming along the road with people who didn’t have his disease. The leper knew he was an outcast and could not help himself. He knew his only hope was in the healing and cleansing Jesus could bring. He knew Jesus could make the difference in his life no one else could make and had confidence in Jesus’ ability to do so. He put all his faith in Jesus.
What do you need Jesus to do for you? How do you come to Him with your request? He tells us to come to Him boldly? But do we remember that He is Lord of creation? Do we understand just Who we address when we fall on our knees in front of Him? The leper understood. He came in humble adoration and made his plea. Jesus’ response – Of course, I wish to do it! He doesn’t withhold His good gifts from us. Just remember Who you’re asking in the process. He is God, you know.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.