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July 21, 2020
Today’s Promise
Jesus is Willing to Heal
Mark 1:40-41
And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Desperate For Healing
There was no worse disease than leprosy in New Testament days. To be a leper, was to live a life of separation, suffering, and loneliness. You would never be touched, held, or hugged. You would live a life of isolation from your family and friends, often taking years to die.
The leper who came to Jesus believed He could heal him, but he wasn’t sure Jesus would take the time or have the desire to heal him. He was confident of Jesus’ ability to heal, but not sure of his willingness.
When Jesus saw this leper, He responded with compassion. His heart was touched when he saw the man’s condition and his suffering. Jesus’s compassion was followed by action and healed him.
Jesus is Willing
I came across the verse not long ago in my personal Bible reading. The words “I am willing” seemed to jump off the page at me. I can’t think of once when someone came to Jesus asking for healing or help that He didn’t respond.
We often come to God in prayer, feeling as though we need to convince Him to hear our prayer or meet our needs. We forget that Jesus is generous with His healing and help.
How do you see Jesus? Do you see Him as the one you must convince to answer your prayer, or as one who is ready and willing?
Moved With Compassion
I love the phrase in this promise that says Jesus was moved with compassion. Jesus knows our weaknesses or lack of faith and our tendency to follow our desires instead of His.
Jesus is moved with compassion for what you are facing today, and He is willing and able to bring healing and help to you.
Whatever your need today, Jesus is saying, “I am willing.” Allow Him to be your healing, helper, and compassionate friend.
Look at that promise again.
And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” – Mark 1:40-41
Make these confessions.
- Jesus is moved with compassion for me.
- He is willing to enter into the problems I face.
- When I come to Him, He always hears my call.
- In Jesus Christ, I find compassion and healing.
In Jesus name,
Amen
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Do you believe God still heals today? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
So, it is clear that Jesus is willing to heal this man. Was his willingness conditional? From other verses we know that God is omniscient. So he knew of the man’s suffering. Yet he did not heal him until certain conditions were met.
What were these conditions? Perhaps they were, 1. Belief that Jesus could heal him… 2. Initiative to ask for healing. Number 2 might actually be equivalent to a genuine desire to be healed. A 3rd possible condition involves the kind or depth of belief. Perhaps a fearless, trusting belief is required. A belief that allows an unprotected, intimate approach to Jesus.
The opposite approach would be one where we approach Jesus knowing that he can heal, but with inner skepticism that he will heal. So our approach Is really a test, an experiment to gather information about Jesus, as much as it is a petition to be healed. A child would simply come and ask Jesus to take the pain away.
So, was Jesus not able to heal him until the conditions were met… or was he unwilling to heal him until they were met?
I don’t see conditions that had to be met in the passage. Jesus reaches out and healed the man. Sure, faith has an impact. Coming to Jesus was an act of faith on His part. He was questioning if Jesus was willing to heal. I don’t think he questioned Jesus’ ability.
I’m not sure I understand the last question. Jesus was willing and able to heal and He healed him. – Billy