Daily Thoughts from Mark: Healing the Leprous Soul (Mark 1:40-45)

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. (Mark 1:40-45, ESV) 

You do not touch a leper, a person with a contagious skin disease.  They must even announce their disease when they are around you to make sure you stay clear.  They have no other society but their own kind.  They are entirely dependent on the charity of others.  But when this man comes to Jesus, Jesus does not retreat.  Is there anyone more wonderful than Jesus?

The man acknowledges that Jesus has the power to cleanse him.  His only concern is whether Jesus wants to.  The compassion of Jesus swells within him as he sees the man kneeling and begging him for healing so he touches the man (and everyone watching must have gasped when he did) and the man becomes cleansed of his leprosy.

Jesus commands the man to go to the priests as required in Leviticus 14:2-31, to be examined and pronounced clean, and commands him to say nothing else to others.  But the man cannot help himself.  He is so full of joy that he tells everyone and then Jesus finds that he cannot enter any towns without being mobbed.  So he stays in more desolate areas outside of towns, suffering discomfort with his disciples and receiving those who come to him.

We come to Jesus with our untouchable leprous sin and find him not only able to cleanse us but willing.  His compassion swells within him and he is moved with pity toward us.  He touches us and loves us and shocks us and others with his forgiveness and mercy.  He will not a bruised reed break.  He will never turn away a repentant soul.