Today's Scripture
Filled with compassion – Mark 1: 40-45
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Isaiah 3-4; Mark 1:23-45(CEB)
40 A man with a skin disease approached Jesus, fell to his knees, and begged, “If you want, you can make me clean.”
41 Incensed, Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do want to. Be clean.” 42 Instantly, the skin disease left him, and he was clean. 43 Sternly, Jesus sent him away, 44 saying, “Don’t say anything to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifice for your cleansing that Moses commanded. This will be a testimony to them.” 45 Instead, he went out and started talking freely and spreading the news so that Jesus wasn’t able to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, but people came to him from everywhere.
What does this passage mean to me/us
A man with skin disease approaches Jesus, kneeling in front of him.
He says, “If you want, you can make me clean.”
It seems like this man knew and believed how Christ has the power to heal his disease but wasn’t sure if Christ would be willing to restore him. Like us, we know that Jesus has the power to heal us, but we might not be sure if Christ is willing to be part of this dark part of my life. So we might cover it up as if it doesn’t affect us, or wait until we have no other choice but to powerlessly kneel in front of our Lord.
The CEB says, “Incensed, Jesus reached out his hand touched him, and said, “I do want to. Be clean.” It will help our understanding to know that other versions use ‘Filled with compassion,” instead of ‘incensed.’
Jesus is more than willing to heal our lives. In fact, the very reason for Jesus to come to this world was based on God’s willingness to restore our lives.
Then why not lay our problems to our Lord, who is willing?
Prayer
Lord, hear our cry when we come to you. With your compassion, heal us and restore us for your glory. . In Christ name, we pray, AMEN.
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