Stood, Stretched and SpokeSpeaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: Cheer up my Friend! There is good news for you. You do not have to cry anymore. "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).
The Bible gives the following account as to how a leper was treated in Biblical times. "Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, 'Unclean! Unclean!' "He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp" (Leviticus 13:45-46).
Lepers were also considered as cast outs or untouchables during the days when Jesus sojourned on this earth. They lived away from the city and their loved ones. Imagine the impact of leprosy when it attacks an individual in a family. The heart of every member in that family is shattered and it is beyond human description.
Not only did a leper live away from the city but he also could not wear good clothes. The instructions that a leper had to follow were to tear his clothes, keep his head bare, cover his mustache and cry that he is an unclean person. Whenever passers by crossed the city a leper had to shout. Their hearts would have been crushed at the agony of their pathetic plight. Perhaps he kept thinking, "Oh! I wish to be alive no more. This sickness is like a canker". Sickness is terrible. A man called Job, who was afflicted greatly cried out to God saying, "Why have you made me a burden to myself".
The leper knew that Jesus Christ would not despise him. He firmly believed that God was full of goodness. Accordingly the Lord full of love and compassion did not hesitate but touched and healed him instantly. In a fraction of a second his sickness completely left him.
Therefore, cheer up my Friend! There is good news for you. You do not have to cry anymore. The loving Lord, unchanging Jesus Christ who is full of goodness is the same yesterday, today and forever and He abides with you today.
God will put an end to your sickness today. You have come to this website not just to be the same person again. Today God will wipe away your tears, He has good gifts in store for you and His divine healing touch will put an end to all the miseries caused by sickness thus far. (Matthew 4:24; 9:35)
The Bible says, "God shows no partiality" (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6). If God in His immense mercy could heal the leper then He can heal anyone who earnestly pleads for His divine healing touch. He is a God who is full of goodness. The reason for granting this divine healing is that He had already borne all our sicknesses on the cross of Calvary. "His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men" (Isaiah 52:14). The wicked people placed a crown of thorn on His head, spat on His face and whipped Him. His lovely face was swollen and beyond recognition. "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4,5).
Why did He go through this path? Just to understand the sufferings brought about by sicknesses. Therefore, my dear Friend, today He understands your sufferings exactly in the way in which you are struggling with it.
Cheer up today. For He has taken all your sickness upon His body to grant you His divine healing touch.
Prayer
Almighty God,
Creator of heaven and earth, Who calls those things which do not exist as though they did exist have mercy upon me. Just as Jesus Christ stood and heard the cry of that leper, stretched out His hands and spoke saying, "I am willing be cleansed", please cleanse me of all my sickness that is tormenting me. Help me to lead a healthy life. May I always be a living testimony for the manifestation of Your glory.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen |