A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If [Y]ou choose, [Y]ou can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out [H]is hand and touched him, and said to him, I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. Mark 1: 40-43, NRSV.
Dear Lord, we are so happy that we can count on you in every situation, and under all circumstances. Please stay with us we pray, for Christ’s sake; Amen.
If we know anything at all about leprosy, we know that you do not touch a leper! In Jesus’ day, this disease was looked upon with such dread, that it became a symbol of sin. The leper had to abandon family, and everything that was dear to him or her and go in exile, “outside the camp.” They had to rip their clothes and walk through the streets announcing their loathsome presence, by shouting: “unclean, unclean,” as they approached others. As long as they were affected by the disease, they had to live alone, away from society (Leviticus 13: 45, 46). Two entire chapters are dedicated to the different types of leprosy, and its purification, Leviticus, chapters 13 and 14.
These people existed as living deads, literally. As the sickness worsened, their flesh would begin to eat away, leaving bare the sinews of their bodies. They would suffer the loss of fingers and toes; then, the end of their nerves would lose its feeling, so that after a while, they could suffer bodily injury, without experiencing any pain, or even realizing it! Little by little, their bodies became covered with putrefying sores. The look of humanity slowly began disappearing, and they began to look more like ghouls! Even their voices became affected, as their vocal chords began to ulcerate and wear away. Soon their hands and feet were covered with ulcerated sores! When the illness had run its course (approximately nine years, more or less) the leper would go into a coma, out of which he or she would not come out; and they would eventually die. Yes, my friends, sad to say, in Jesus’ day, leprosy was incurable! That is, until it came it contact with the Great Physician; the Healer par excellence – Jesus, the Christ!
What makes our story so interesting is the fact that the leper approached Jesus! The Bible does not say he came shouting his uncleanness. This could mean that he was so desperate to be healed, that he was willing to run the risk of being criticized, marginalized, demonized, or perhaps even trampled to death, as people stampeded to get out of his presence! The other possibility, is that, someone had done justice in describing the Savior; If you go to Him, He will not reject you (John 6: 37)! Hallelujah!
Whatever the reason for his unusual boldness, it paid off! Jesus was even bolder than he – The Savior reached out and touched him! Permit me to say this one more time (I have said it several times, in different ways); in the presence of the Creator, death and decay cannot exist! Praise the Lord! In the presence of the One who makes us whole, brokenness has no place to lodge. In the presence of the Savior, the destroyer must flee! When Jesus is in the house, He is sovereign Lord; and everyone, and everything, must bow to Him! With the touch of the Savior, the leper was made whole!
Jesus could have spoken the Word and made him whole; instead, He chose to touch him! What a Savior! What a Friend! Have you received a touch from the Savior? One touch is enough to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Will you come to Him today? He will not turn you away!