The Leper Pt. 1 of 2

Is it God’s will to heal?
I’ve been chomping at the bit to get to this healing. This story is the reason why I wanted to start the study of the chronological healings of Jesus. It is number 4 chronologically but Matthew chose to record this one first. In my blog entry “Peter’s Ma-in-Law Pt. 1 of 2” I discussed a little about Matt recording this one first and Pete’s Ma-in-Law third. At first I was a little perplexed on the reason why Matt mixed up the order (or really the Holy Spirit mixed up the order) but now that I’ve taken time to meditate on it I think I understand better. If you were to read the New Testament in regular order, instead of chronological order, then you would run across this healing first. This story answers a very important question - a question still being asked today. And this question is not just being asked by new Christian and non-believers but also by “Seasoned Saints.” The question is: “Is it God’s will to heal?” Well, is it? Let’s read Matt’s account.

Matt 8:2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
So is it God’s will to heal? Jesus answers that question plainly.

If you were reading this account in a regular Bible then you would see in bright red ink three great words used by the creator Himself. Those three powerful words are “I am willing.” So if “I am willing” is found plainly in Matt 8:3 than why is it still a question if it is God’s will to heal us? Is it because we don’t know our Bible? Is it because we have forgotten this story even though we heard it over and over again in Sunday school? Or is it because we don’t really trust Jesus with our health? You read that right, I used the word trust. Trust is a synonym for Faith and when we don’t have faith in God then really we don’t have trust in God. Talk about going for the jugular; I reached out with a writer’s hand and squeezed my reader’s necks. I would like to take it easier writing this but “is it God’s will to heal?” should never be a question verbalized by any seasoned believer. We don’t know if the leper in this story was a believer before approaching Jesus but I can bet that he never questioned again if it was Jesus will to heal. But you may say that “so-n-so” prayed and believed and never received their healing. Sure, I know plenty of “so-n-so’s” who have not yet, or never received their healings but their situations do not supersede the Word of God. Myself for instance, I still wear glasses, but my situation does not supersede the Word of God (besides, I make these glasses look good). Here is another strong statement: to say “it is not God’s will to heal” is just the same as saying “it is not God’s will to save”. Why would I say that? I say that because both salvation and healing were taken care of at the Cross. Every time we take communion we are recognizing two things: “body broken” = healing and “the blood” = salvation/redemption. I like how Mark Brazee covered “God’s will to heal” in his devotional*. He said “Follow Jesus’ earthly ministry to see God’s will in action. You see, everything Jesus did (or didn’t do) represented God’s will.” Later on in the same devotion he said “He {Jesus} never left anyone sick who wanted and believed Him to be healed. He never said, ‘This sickness is here to teach you something, to perfect you, to correct you or to make you more pious.’” I think that pretty much sums it up.
Going back to the Leper’s story, it shows us that not only is it God’s will to heal but also no circumstance will stop Him from touching our lives. The dude had leprosy but all three gospels that recorded this healing (Matt 8:2-3, Mark 1:40-45, & Luke 5:12-14) tell of Jesus reached out and touched this guy. That is a “no-no”. According to the law if you touched a leper you became unclean for a day. Numbers 19:22 states “Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening"; but Jesus, moved with compassion, reached out and answers a 2000 year old question. I am so glad He reached out and said He was/is willing. I am so glad Jesus didn’t care whether He got dirty just so this leper could/would become clean. This was just a little glimpse of what Jesus would do on the cross for you and for me. Isaiah 53: 5 prophesied that He would (and He did) be “pierced for our transgressions,” he would be “crushed for our iniquities,” and “by his wounds we are healed.” He took on our sin, He took our sickness; He became unclean so, just like this former leper, we all could become clean.
Now to Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our trust, oops, I meant faith. (Heb 12:2)

Stay blessed y’all, it’s your choice.
jimmy


*Prescription for a Miracle by Mark Brazee. Quotes used in this entry are found in January 27th devotion labeled “Jesus: The Image of the Father”.