“Lord, If You Are Willing,

You Can Make Me Clean”

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Matthew 8:1-4

Leprosy is a disease that can render its victims repulsive to others, and ancient Jewish culture has strict guidelines to prevent its spread: “They must live alone,” the law declared. “They must live outside the camp.”

That’s why it is so remarkable that a leper approached Jesus to say, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’”

A single touch made a difference.

What difference might we make if we overcame our fears and trust God to use us?

Our Daily Bread – May 2, 2017