Day 133: Willing and able – Luke 5 vs 12 - 16

12-13 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man was there who had leprosy all over him. He saw Jesus, fell face down, and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean,” and immediately the leprosy left him.

14-15 Then he ordered him to tell no one: “But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing as a testimony to them.” But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed. (Christian Standard Bible)

People often want to be popular - we like to feel loved admired and loved. But we see in today's reading that Jesus didn't seek that sort of popularity. Large crowds sometimes brought difficulties. He once had to borrow a boat to preach from so he wouldn’t be crushed in the crowd. He told this man he'd healed not to go round telling everyone, but the news got out and soon the huge crowds were back. How did Jesus respond to the pressing demands made on him? (vs 16)

What a lesson that is for us. If Jesus needed times of solitude for prayer, how much more should we make time to pray! So often we make 'keeping busy' our priority. Jesus wasn't like the celebrities and TV evangelists of our age who seek popularity and crowds – he focused more on his relationship with the Father. He sought the approval of God rather than the applause of people.

The other lovely lesson here is to be found in the man Jesus healed. Why do you think he may have thought the Lord might be unwilling to heal him? (vs 12-13)

Perhaps it was because of his outward condition and appearance. Leprosy is a terrible disease that can disfigure the sufferer. We're told this man had leprosy all over him! It's also very contagious and made the person unfit for the company of those who were healthy.

But his hesitancy may have been increased by an inward condition. Perhaps he felt his sickness was a judgement of God because of sins in his life. He may have felt 'unworthy' that this holy man should even think of healing him. Whatever his reason was, his illness and his doubts are very much a picture of sinners who fear that their life has been too bad, and that God would never hear and help someone as sinful as they have been. But how did Jesus respond to this 'unclean' and hesitant man who'd fallen on his face before him and asked to be made whole? (vs 12-13)

He assured the man of his willingness to heal, and then reached out and touched his disfigured body. What a beautiful picture that is of Christ's willingness and ability to make broken lives whole! Lives can be broken, as this man's was, by terrible illness, or by terrible circumstances. Some people are born into homes where parents are abusive or addicted to alcohol or drugs. Other people are born in places where war is raging or dictators rule. Such people may be disfigured and scarred as this man was. But the real brokenness all people need healing from is sin. Sin disfigures our soul more than any disease disfigures our body.

The wonderful news that we see and hear in the life of Jesus is that he is willing and able to make sinners whole! Notice how often Jesus used the words 'no one' and 'never' in John 6:35 & 37 when he said: “I am the bread of life - no one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again. Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out.” John 6:35 & 37.

Don't let the way sins have disfigured your life keep you from casting yourself upon Christ's mercy. Because, in the words of Charles Wesley’s hymn: “Jesus breaks the power of cancelled sin and sets the prisoner free - and his blood can make even the foulest clean.”