"Jesus reached out..."

"A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, 'Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.'  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.  'I am willing, ' he said.  'Be clean!'  Immediately he was cured of his leprosy."

Matthew 8:2-3

This passage was part of our bible study last night, and although it is short, I took so much away from this.  I had to write about it and post it.

First, I see so much in the leper.  The bible does not record how long he had lived with leprosy up to this point, but we know for sure the life he led with the disease.  He was an outcast, alone, and deprived of any emotional or physical human connection.  And when he needed to go to town for even basic needs such as food, he had to announce to the world that was "unclean".  However, look at how he approached Jesus.  He did not announce himself, or even keep a good distance away.  He came before Jesus, and knelt before him.  The book of Luke records this man kneeling with his face to the ground.  First and foremost I see this man approaching our Lord with confidence and humility.  Next, the very first word he spoke to Jesus had huge emphasis on this man's faith.  He called him "Lord".  Not prophet or teacher, but Lord.  Acknowledging who Jesus really was and that he believed in him.  Secondly, he says,"if you are willing, you can make me clean."  This man further had the faith that Jesus could heal him...but more than that, he acknowledged the Lord's will above his own.  I am sure that more than anything, this man wanted to be healed...but by speaking the phrase "if you are willing", he showed Jesus that he wanted the Lord's will above his own, and was willing to accept that healing may not be a part of that will.  He was fully surrendered.

Jesus response to this man is what really blew me away.  The bible says that "Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man."  I truly believe that this act of love by Jesus did far more for the man than the actual healing itself.  Jesus did not have to touch him.  He could have been 100 miles away and healed that man by a simple word.  But Jesus met that man with what he needed most...a relationship.  He met that man where he was at and touched him, giving him a connection that had been deprived for so long.  And then, he healed him. 

This is the question that was left with me:  Do I reach out to people, or do I only speak a word? I will admit, that there are so many times when I know someone who needs a hot meal, or a ride to the doctor's office, or their lawn mowed, or just a card in the mail, and I respond with "I am really busy right now so I'll just pray for them, "  or "I am really worn out.  I have small children that wear me out.  They'll understand.  I'll just remember to pray for them and let someone else pick up the slack."  Please understand that I am in no way belittling prayer.  It is most definitely one of the most powerful tools we have in spiritual warfare.  But I also think that maybe sometimes we use it as an out. I think James says it best:

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."   James 2: 14-17

This short little passage just really challenged me last night.  I wanted to write and share.  I hope it encourages you as well!  Christs's love to all!