Read Mark 1:40-45

As I read this passage today, I found myself in the story as the leper.  How many times will I keep coming back here, feeling like my sin is a deadly disease eating away the inside of me?  Ravaging my life, undermining my faith, compromising my testimony? I know how the leper feels; sin is holding me back from God.  I fall down before Jesus, and cry out in desperation, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”  I keep my heart-disease hidden but it’s growing. A serious sin-sickness is destroying me inside.  And now it’s coming out of my mouth when I react to people.  I hear myself, and think ‘where is all this animosity coming from’?  My actions, attitudes and words are exposing my heart.

“Lord, I cannot clean myself.  I cannot hide it.  I’m not even trying anymore.  Lord, I come begging on my knees. Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.  I know there is no other way.  No amount of self-improvement will help me.  I have no other choice; I cannot hide myself from You.”

I wait, trembling before the Lord.  I almost expect to hear Him say, “Away from Me, you evil-doer”.  The pause is pregnant with anticipation of the shouts of ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ at the realization of the leprous disease I carry.  The shouts that will expose me and drive me into hiding, into exile, into condemnation.

But when He speaks, Jesus is filled with compassion.  I look into His eyes and see love, not condemnation.  Can it be true?  His words confirm it:  “I am willing!  Be clean!” and He touches me.  Holy touches sinful.  Instead of my sin contaminating Him, His pureness cleanses me.  I’m clean!  Immediately the sin-disease leaves me.  I am whole, healed, pure.

But He continues to speak.  He is sending me away with a command, “See that you don’t tell this to anyone.  But go, show yourself and offer sacrifices”.  Don’t tell; show.  The change will be seen, that will be the testimony.  And really, if I just say, “Hey, I’m not critical and self-righteous anymore”, who is going to believe me?  I must show that I’m cleansed, pure, whole.  I must go and demonstrate that He’s cleansed me, that I have changed.

“What sacrifices do you require, Lord?”  The sacrifice of praise.  Of my time.  Of my ‘wants’, of my agenda, of my judgments, of my opinions, of my go-to ways of doing things.  “Yes, Lord, I lay them all down.  I am clean.”

Surround me, Lord, with the light of Christ.

Cover me with the blood of Christ.

Seal me with the cross of Christ.

I ask this in the name of Christ.

Amen