Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 261

September 17;   Luke 5:13;   49/260(II);   ‘The Willing Touch’

Luke 5:13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him.

 The Lord Jesus was in a certain city, the Bible does not record where.  It really did not matter where Jesus was, because the incredible news that Jesus was the Healer had spread far and wide. There was a man full of leprosy who heard of the miracles performed by Jesus and knew that Jesus had the ability to heal him of leprosy.  This man was taking a chance, because those with leprosy were not allowed to be near other people.  He was desperate and he also was ignorant of the character of Jesus.  You can hear about the ability of a person to do something, but that does not make you privy to the character of that person.  Just because Jesus can heal me of this leprosy, does not mean that He is willing to.  Many people today think exactly the same way.  Jesus Christ is God and God can do anything He wants to.  They are just not sure that the Lord wants to heal them.  This is where knowing what the Bible teaches is so important.  So often people say God will heal me if it is He will.  The Bible is God’s will.  Jesus’ dealing with the leper should once and for all end the erroneous idea the God will heal me if it is His will.  The leper said to Jesus, “if you are willing You can make me clean.”  Immediately the Lord Jesus Christ responded, “I am willing, be cleansed.”  God is no respecter of persons.  What He did for this man with leprosy, He will do for anyone.  Healing is always the will of God.  He loves us and healing belongs to us according to the Word of God.  Very quickly the leper found out that Jesus was willing to heal him.  Learn God’s Word and you will forever know that as well..