I am Willing

I have just started a study of the book of Mark. I feel led to dwell in this book, to see all and seek and understand all that I can (knowing my absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit). The journey is starting slowly but is so rich.

I just finished up chapter 1 and gleaned many things, but one passage just touched my heart. Mark 1:40-42:

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.

I see a couple of things in this short passage. First I see the great faith in the man with leprosy, but more importantly I see the great love of Christ. If you really stop to think about this, can you see that in context no one would ever touch a person with leprosy. In that culture lepers were to be avoided at all cost.

Can you imagine the emotional impact of never having any contact, everyone avoiding you and no one ever touching you? Years go by without the touch of another human. So while you have a dreaded disease, this disease is also devastating spiritually and emotionally.

But look at our savior, filled with compassion. He doesn’t just heal the man, he touches the man. Oh, how He loves us (to borrow a phrase from David Crowder)! Jesus didn’t have to touch the man to heal him, yet he did. A theologian described this as “an unheard of act of compassion.” I am just overwhelmed at the love Christ has for us.

As I wrap this up and if we really stop to reflect, aren’t we all lepers spiritually? Don’t we just desire the loving compassionate touch of Christ? He is willing!

Father, thank you for our Lord and Savior, filled with love and compassion, willing to cleanse the unclean like me. Amen.

Grace and Peace!