June 10, 2013
“A leper came to him, begging on his knees, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.” Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean. .. A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years .. She was thinking to herself, “If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well. The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. ” Mark 1:40-41, Mark 5:25-29 The Message
Think for a moment how difficult .. how impossible it is to get next to someone with power to change your life or situation. They have the resources and authority to make your life better, but you have no way to plead your case .. or even ask for help. And yet, the Bible reveals just about every level of life finding Jesus in a time of need and desperation. Some didn’t even find him … He found them when they were out of hope. No one touched a leper .. but Jesus did. The leper wouldn’t even think of asking Jesus to touch him. The woman had nothing to offer Jesus. She was too ashamed to ask Him face to face. And yet, she is remembered for such great faith because she reached out and touched his robe. You don’t have to have a lot to find company with Jesus. You don’t have to know somebody who knows somebody who might be able to arrange a few minutes of his very valuable time. Jesus didn’t have valuable time. He has all time for you. Your struggles .. your shame .. your grief .. your fear .. your confusion .. your depression .. your uncertainty .. your illness and suffering .. your loneliness .. your anger .. your “whatever-it-may-be” is that important to Jesus. There is only one life that Jesus wants you to have and live: a kingdom life. He’ll put your life in order from the inside out. For that to happen, He exchanged everything true in himself for everything false inside of you. What kind of Jesus is this? He’s the One who is “deeply moved” by your life and has ALL the time you need today. It only takes a moment …
“The main character in this drama — compared to him I’m a mere stagehand — will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house — make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll put everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” Matt. 3:11-12 The Message
