"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.'
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed." - Mark 1:40-42
In the first of the series on Healing from the Inside Out, we come to the account of a leper. When the leper met Jesus, he began with the words "If you are willing,.." He probably felt Jesus would somehow decline his request - just like how others have rejected him over the years. Then Jesus did something to him that might not mean much to others, but it meant a world to this leper.
He touched him.
To appreciate the depth of this act, you need to know that leprosy is considered a curse among the Jews. It is reckoned together with sin. The lepers were confined to leper community far away from the main city. Whenever a leper passed by anyone, he was supposed to shout "Unclean, unclean" or else he would be stoned. He was unclean and no one was supposed to touch him.
But Jesus did.
"The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp." - Lev 13:45-46
The extent of His touch reached beyond stigma of society into the deep recesses of his heart. It touched his soul. It touched his wound. It touched his desire to be loved and accepted like a child.
You need to know Jesus can touch the untouchable, the sin, the failures and the pain. Nothing is beyond the reach of God's compassion.
When God heals, He heals inside out. He touches your heart, forgives your sins and heals your wounds of rejection.
Maybe today, you had nursed some wounds of rejection over many years. It is time to let the Hand touch you and bring deep healing to bring back your worth as a person. I'm not talking about exalting the self above God; I'm talking about a portion of glory that is imparted to man and woman when they were created. It is God's pleasure to give that glory because we were created to reflect Him. We are His children. No one has the right to step on you like a mat. His glory covers you as His children, beloved and accepted. Anyone who touches you touches the apple of His eye (Zech 2:8)
When the heart is healed, a physical miracle ensued. Leprosy immediately left him. He was clean again - from the inside out. If you want God to touch you inside, cry out to Him now in your words, just as you are. Masks don't really work in the consuming fire - they melt like wax.
He touched him.
To appreciate the depth of this act, you need to know that leprosy is considered a curse among the Jews. It is reckoned together with sin. The lepers were confined to leper community far away from the main city. Whenever a leper passed by anyone, he was supposed to shout "Unclean, unclean" or else he would be stoned. He was unclean and no one was supposed to touch him.
But Jesus did.
"The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp." - Lev 13:45-46
The extent of His touch reached beyond stigma of society into the deep recesses of his heart. It touched his soul. It touched his wound. It touched his desire to be loved and accepted like a child.
You need to know Jesus can touch the untouchable, the sin, the failures and the pain. Nothing is beyond the reach of God's compassion.
When God heals, He heals inside out. He touches your heart, forgives your sins and heals your wounds of rejection.
Maybe today, you had nursed some wounds of rejection over many years. It is time to let the Hand touch you and bring deep healing to bring back your worth as a person. I'm not talking about exalting the self above God; I'm talking about a portion of glory that is imparted to man and woman when they were created. It is God's pleasure to give that glory because we were created to reflect Him. We are His children. No one has the right to step on you like a mat. His glory covers you as His children, beloved and accepted. Anyone who touches you touches the apple of His eye (Zech 2:8)
When the heart is healed, a physical miracle ensued. Leprosy immediately left him. He was clean again - from the inside out. If you want God to touch you inside, cry out to Him now in your words, just as you are. Masks don't really work in the consuming fire - they melt like wax.
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