Where Do You Need Healing?
A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.
Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. (Mark 1:40-42)
Imagine a good-looking, well-liked man with bronze skin and a winning smile. His days filled with laughter and friends. But then one day, he notices a white spot on that bronze skin. Leprosy.
His family and friends disown him, fearing they will get infected as well. He is forced to live outside of town because he has become the worse thing a Jew could possibly become--Unclean.
In Hebrew culture, there was nothing worse.
No Jew wanted anything to do with an unclean person because if you touched an unclean person, you became unclean. Then you would have to live outside of town, then you could not go to the Temple for worship.
This means the leper from Mark 1 would be living in loneliness and despair, without the blessing of touch and friendship. However, soon he begins to hear about Someone different. Someone who is not like the rest of the world. Some who cares about lepers and outcasts.
In desperation he runs to this man--Jesus.
He falls to the ground and begs “If You want to, You can heal me.”
Jesus replies with those great words “I want to” then does the unthinkable. He touches this man. He touches this unclean man! This man who has felt no love, who has had no human contact, Jesus touches him and he is healed.
What does this mean for you and for me? It wonderfully means that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done. If you run to Jesus, He will reach out to you. You can say, “Jesus, I’ve been trapped in pornography forever! Will you touch me? (YES, I WILL!) “Jesus, I’ve been trapped in a homosexual lifestyle for my whole life. Will you touch me? (YES, I WILL) “Jesus, I’ve been struggling with anger…with greed…with lust…with gossip. I have sinned again and again and again. But will you still reach out and touch me? (YES, I WILL!)
Understand that Jesus gave up Heaven to come to earth. He gave up glory and majesty to take on flesh. He took a beating and hung on a cross—so that you would believe that there is no distance He won’t travel to reach you.
So let me ask, is there some place in your heart, some place in your mind, some secret place that you have hidden deeply because you don’t want anyone to ever find out? Christ can reach there!
Where do you need Christ to reach today? What part of your life does Christ need to touch and heal today? Christ wants to reach that spot. And when He does, there WILL be healing.
