Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Cleansing Christ
A leper came
to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make
me clean.” (V.40)
Leprosy was the
most feared disease of ancient times. It was a horrible disease in which
people's hands and face and even their entire bodies were eaten away. In
Christ’s time, leprosy was deemed as a punishment from God. Thus, lepers
were considered to be outcasts and were ostracized from the mainstream of society.
They could not directly approach their families and friends for help because
people were afraid of contracting the disease. So, lepers were forced to
live outside of city walls, towns, and villages and were dependent upon
charitable donations of food, which their relatives left at certain
predetermined places. Physical contact with others was strictly
prohibited, and thus lepers were completely isolated from their loved ones.
In today’s
selected passage, we have to understand that the leper who comes before Jesus
is doing a bold thing and is making an outrageous request. He is bold
because he leaves his designated place of isolation and breaks the community
quarantine. His request is outrageous because everyone knew that only God
can heal a sinful leper. At this point in time, people thought that Jesus
was just a local preacher and exorcist. To ask Jesus to heal leprosy was a
major leap of faith, for it meant that the leper was equating Christ with God
Himself.
The leper also
does not presume to be healed. He places himself in Christ’s hands
saying, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” This statement
indicates that the leper has faith in Christ’s power to heal, but he puts the
burden on Jesus to do something about it. Christ can do this, but only if
He wants to heal the man. The good news is that the leper’s bold and
outrageous request is fulfilled. Jesus is willing to heal the man and make him
clean. Jesus’ action of healing a leper is unprecedented in the history
of Israel and is a truly extraordinary demonstration of power and compassion.
Many times we
desire and really want to change things about our lives, but we need to realize
that we must depend on Jesus to help us. We often suffer from the
emotional leprosy of bitterness and anger, fear and anxiety, doubt and
faithlessness. These things separate us from God, our loved ones, and our
friends. We need Christ to heal us from within and to restore our
relationships. The challenge that faces us today is this: are we willing
to boldly and outrageously ask Christ to clean our hearts and minds as well as
our bodies and souls? Christ is willing to provide the healing we long
for, but we must be willing to come and bow before Him, fully trusting in his
power to change and transform us without relying on the things of this
world. Only then can Christ’s healing power be truly and meaningfully
realized in our own lives.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes
we isolate ourselves from our loved ones, our churches, and our communities
because we allow resentment and hurt, insecurity and anxiety to overwhelm our
emotions and ruin our relationships. Come among us today, and heal our
hearts, mend our minds, and restore our souls. In Your holy name, we
pray. Amen.
Thought for the Day: Christ is eager and
willing to heal us, but we must first humble ourselves before Him and
faithfully and willingly be receptive to His transforming power.
Rev. Christopher Phil Daniel, St. Stephen’s MTC, New Jersey