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Editors note: These are detailed devotional times I have had with the Lord that I wanted to share with the readers. They will be posted on those days I have detailed devotional times. Today's devotional time was taken from the archives and revised before 7:00 a.m.

Quiet Times for Wednesday, January 21, 04
(Psalm 21, Proverbs 21, Mark 1:40-42)

Hi everyone :)

May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all as you continue in the journey of life! May His abundant love for you transform your life! Amen!

"A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, 'If you are willing, you can make me clean.' Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured" (Mark 1:40-42, NIV)

Interpretations:

I asked myself what the stigma of leprosy would have done to a person!

This man had leprosy. Leprosy made someone an untouchable and an outcast from society. This man could have been ridiculed and shunned all the days he had leprosy. He could have lost hope because of his bad experiences he may have had. More than likely he would have had such a terrible time because his disease was contagious and also people feared coming near anyone with leprosy as they feared getting it.

He could have easily been conditioned to accept his defeat in life but he did not. One day he found out about someone who so loved and who performed miracles. He took an active step hoping to receive help even with all the fears he may have stored up inside.

Observations:

I asked myself what the man did!

1. He came to Jesus with the disease that made him feel like an outcast. (Skin falling off and blisters everywhere)

2. He fell on his knees and begged Jesus, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’

Observations/Interpretations:

I asked myself why the leper used the words, ‘If you are willing’!

This tells me that there were many people who were not even willing to be near him. We can infer that he was not sure if Jesus was going to have anything to do with him especially from the bad experiences he may have had. Yet he takes the daring step and says, "If you are willing, you can make me clean"

Observations:

I asked myself what were Jesus’ reactions towards the leper?

1. Jesus was filled with compassion.

2. Jesus reached out his hand.

3. Jesus touched the man.

4. Jesus said, "I am willing"

5. Jesus said, "Be clean"

Point 1: Jesus was filled with compassion.

Jesus showed his compassion to the man who was sick and wanted to be clean. Jesus did not shun him but goes a step further and shows His compassion by the next action He takes which is evident by point 2.

Point 2: Jesus reaches out his hand.

Picture the person with leprosy whose skin was filled with spots and was falling off. No one would even come close to him but now Jesus reached out His hand. This is so significant to me because by reaching out His hand, Jesus started the process of healing the man emotionally and psychologically. Now the man knew even as an outcast to society that He was loved by one person who really mattered. Jesus did not stop there but goes a step further which is evidenced by point 3.

Point 3: Jesus touched the man.

I believe at that point the man was healed emotionally, mentally, and psychologically by the loving Hands of Jesus. By touching the man in his sickness, Jesus was letting him know that he is loved as he was. He is valued as a person regardless of his disease. Wow! That is awesome to know! Jesus does not stop there after touching the man but gives him words he wanted to hear. This is evident by point 4.

Point 4: Jesus said, "I am willing"

These are the words the man wanted to hear from Jesus and must have been ecstatic to hear them. Lepers were usually confined to a lepers colony and could not do a lot of things that healthy people were able to do. Now he knew he could be part of society as Jesus helps him with that. This is evident by point 5.

Point 5: Jesus said, "Be clean!"

Immediately, the leprosy left him and he was cured!!! Praise God! Amen! He was instantly healed physically but also he was healed emotionally, psychologically, and mentally by the trauma he faced after a personal encounter with Jesus.

Implications:

The man with leprosy did not let his past come in the way of receiving healing in the present. It could have been easy for the man to have dwelled in the past and allowed his negative experiences and thinking to rule his life and given up. He did not but decided to take a risk and it paid off. It is exciting to know what Jesus did for the leper He can do for us too when we have a personal encounter with Him. He waits for us to come to Him to clean us! Yes, He does! I don't know His timings but I know He loves us and wants the best for us!

I ask you now dear friends, where do you want to be clean?

Dear friend, each of you has a past otherwise you won’t be in the present. You know the skeletons from your past. You know the deep hurts and scars that are hidden deep inside. You know the times of rejection, ridicule, etc you may have faced. Many of you may still be carrying them with you as heavy baggage. It will not go away on its own but you can definitely find healing from your past and be set free once you start dealing with what happened and not hesitate to receive the help needed. Jesus wants you to come to Him and He will not turn you away. He wants to clean out your past for you.

The man with leprosy was determined to receive help and did not let his past stop him or 'what other people might think of him' and received healing. You do not have to let your past stop you from receiving the help the Lord wants to give you right now!

It won't be easy and there could be a lot of inner turmoil and pain but when you pour out your heart to the Lord showing him everything that has caused the wounds and scars you are dealing with and ask Jesus to make you clean as the leper showed himself to Jesus and asked Jesus to make him clean and was healed, so will you in God's perfect timing.

When you pray to the Lord, listen to what He has to tell you. Jesus reached out to the man, touched him and spoke to him being willing to make him clean. Jesus wants to reach out to you and touch you in every area of your life. Whether you have experienced any kind of abuse, a relational break-up, a family-dysfunction, guilt over sins of the past, etc, Jesus is willing to reach out to you with His Loving Hands, touch you with his healing love. Take the help He is offering you. He loves you so much. Each of you knows what the Lord may want you to do to deal with what you are facing. Don't let your past or what other people will think about you stop you from receiving healing.

Just because you may have had bad experiences in the past and they hurt you so badly, don't let that govern your present and future.

One example is relationships. If you have ever experienced a bad-break up, it would be so easy to just give up and not be in a relationship with anyone else fearing you may get hurt all over again. But don't let the other person who broke up with you have a hold on your life preventing you from enjoying life again. Depend on the Lord to send that right person your way. I know He would because He created you, you are special in His sight and He knows that special one out there for you who you can spend the rest of your life with.

Take the step whatever you are facing with and bring it to the Lord as the man with leprosy did and you will find healing in Jesus' Name! His love can enter everyone now and make them clean. Yes, it can friend! Amen!

Christ's Love Enters All Now! (C.L.E.A.N)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, you remember everything. You remember the time the man with leprosy came to you and begged you to make him clean. You were filled with so much compassion and you reached out your hand and touched the man who was seen as diseased and you were willing to make him clean and healed him. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you so much for your love. Lord, you know the wounds and scars each of us face from our past or even the present. You know Lord what it has done to us on the inside. Lord when the pain is too much it is so easy to try to forget it by focusing our minds on other things so we do not have to deal with it. That won't help us in the long run. But, I know Lord you can heal each person who is faced with hurts when they come to you. Please Jesus reach out to the one who is hurting and touch them with your love and power. Provide them the means to get the healing you want for their lives. Thank you Jesus so much. Please Lord help them not to let their past influence them from getting the help they need. You know how they can receive that help. Please make it clear to them. Thank you so much Jesus. Help us Oh God of our Salvation for the glory of your name. Please deliver us and provide us healing for your name's sake. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you that you not only hear us but answer us! Amen! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Love in Christ, Ramesh