THE WILLINGNESS OF JESUS
Mark 1:40-42 NKJV
40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
Thank You, Lord, we are in the book of Mark. This is a great book for all the type-A people out there. Many believe the gospel of Mark was written from Peters' perspective. It's a bottom-line gospel. Matthew and Luke both start with the birth of Jesus, while Mark jumps right into the ministry of Jesus.
In our verses for today, a man with leprosy approaches Jesus for healing. The man believes that Jesus has the power to completely clean him from the foul disease. But here is what he doesn't know. He does not know if Jesus is willing to make him clean. He believes the Lord has the ability. He is unclear on the want to of the Lord.
I love what happens next. Jesus is moved with compassion. What a wonderful thing. Here is a man being literally eaten with leprosy, and Jesus has compassion for him. And in His compassion, Jesus reaches out and touches the man. This may sound like a small thing, but this is big. People with leprosy had to quarantine themselves away from other people because leprosy is contagious. And if a leper came near another person without the same disease, they, by Jewish law, were forced to cry out, “unclean.” Can you imagine what that negative attention did for a person's self-concept? Being forced to live with other people with leprosy. Being isolated from the very people that loved you. Never again knowing the touch of a spouse or child. But Jesus touched him.
And when Jesus touched this man, He spoke, "I am willing, be cleansed." Catch that phrase from Jesus. "I am willing." Not we'll see, or maybe so. Not having to pray about it to determine if cleansing the leper was the will of God. Jesus always spoke and acted in accordance with God's will. Always.
And when the man with leprosy knew that Jesus was willing. When this poor, suffering man knew that Jesus wanted him well, it changed everything. The leprosy left him, and he was totally cleansed.
APPLICATION
If you were to stand before Jesus today with whatever situation you are dealing with, what would you say to Him? What do you believe about what He is willing to do? What do you believe about what He has the power to do? What we believe plays a major role in what we receive from the Lord.
And one of the major barriers to receiving from the Lord is questioning His willingness. Because I grew up in a church that preached salvation, I have known since I was a boy that it was God's will to save me. So when I called out to Him as an 18-year-old walking across a field in Carbondale, Illinois, I knew that it was God's will to save me. And I received salvation. I knew the willingness of God because I heard it so much growing up. Knowing God's will is the first step of faith.
When Joy was so sick as a 32-year-old mother of three young children, she had to come to the place where she believed it was the will of God for her to be well. And over 30 years later, she still is.
So, when it comes to something you want to receive from God - salvation, wisdom, healing, help, find what God has said in His word on the subject. When you find His word, you are finding His will. And when you know God is willing, it makes it so much easier to receive from Him.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank You for Your compassion and willingness to heal and help. Thank you for helping me find Your will for all areas of my life.